Bowel Cancer Screening: Take The Test
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many Australians to avoid visiting the doctor out of fear of contracting the virus. Cancer reportings have seen an approximate 30% reduction in Victoria alone, including a marked decrease in bowel cancer screening.
These statistics are worrying; particularly for bowel cancer, given that testing is not only free for people over the age of 50, but is also noninvasive, and can be completed in the home. Early detection of bowel cancer drastically increases the likelihood of survival, with a 90% survival rate for Stage 1 bowel cancer compared to a 13% survival rate at Stage 4.
The Target Audience
Australians aged between 50 and 74 years of age with a particular focus on men aged 50-54.
The Insight
Australians were reluctant to take the test even before COVID-19 struck, and are now even more apprehensive as medical care becomes increasingly risky to access.
Fear and stress has caused Australians to tune out and switch off the negative news. News fatigue is a growing problem; 71% of Australians avoid discussing the news and 52% say that the news coverage has made them more anxious. But research has shown that having humour in ads about serious topics can make the viewer more receptive to the messages being shared.
The Strategy
Our campaign predominantly focuses on specific age demographic targeted social media and digital media advertisements through the use of copy driven messaging.
A full-page display ad in newspapers will be our traditional media outlet, and digital banner advertising will be displayed on the home pages of newspapers’ desktop and mobile versions. These traditional media platforms have been chosen based on the media consumption habits of our target demographic.
However, in understanding that analytics and research conducted are nominating a general disinterest in news since COVID-19, our campaign will also integrate the same message through Facebook advertising in order to expand our reach.
The main ad features plain imagery of a toilet in order to pique the readers’ curiosity, with the accompanying headlines: ‘Give a crap about your crap’, ‘You check your bowl and we’ll check your bowels’ and ‘Test your brown then flush it down’. The headlines are light, awkward and humorous in order to engage the audience, without causing them to feel the fear associated with cancer advertising. Body copy will aid the readers into understanding the positives associated with taking a noninvasive (albeit awkward) test and how early prevention is encouraged for greater chance of survival.
