Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life has unveiled its latest campaign, the first since moving the account to Mother in August 2012.
Featuring the new line ‘Cancer We’re Coming to Get You’, the activity includes a 60 second TV ad directed by Siri Bunford where women show their defiance to cancer. A music video directed by David Wilson showcases a dance called the ‘Cancer Slam’ and is accompanied by a tutorial video for women to learn the dance before the event in order to perform en-mass.
Radio ads also feature as part of the campaign and introduce something new which will take place at every Race for Life, the usual minute’s silence will now be followed by a minute’s ROAR. The radio ad itself features a woman’s open letter to cancer.
Press and outdoor posters have also been created to feature women discussing cancer and what they think of it, with lines including ‘Oi! Cancer! You. Me. Outside. Now’ and ‘Cancer can kiss my butt’. Stickers of insults to cancer including ‘Cancer is the C Word’ are also set to be handed out nationwide.
“I am hugely excited by this campaign, and how it can help us transform this amazing fundraising event into a truly desirable brand. Mother have done an excellent job of taking a deep and truthful consumer insight about how people feel about cancer and developing it into a brilliant new high-impact campaign,” commented Anthony Newman, director of product marketing at Race for Life.
Mother creative Oli Beale added: “If you could say something to cancer it probably wouldn’t be polite. Just because cancer is big and scary it doesn’t mean we have to whisper its name. When we first went to a Race for Life we were struck by how fun it was. Everybody has a horrible cancer story. Many people have been through it themselves. But this is one day where they get together and show cancer what they think of it. It’s a day where for once cancer is on the run. Cancer is on the ropes and every single penny raised pushes it closer to the floor.
“Sombre messages wouldn’t be right for this. We want people to feel empowered to take on cancer, get off their sofas and join in. IN YOUR FACE CANCER.”