The Eve Appeal supports Cervical Cancer Prevention Week

Wunderman Thompson UK has collaborated with national charity, The Eve Appeal, to raise awareness of cervical screening and encourage people to attend their appointments.

Figures from the NHS show that around 3,200 British women are diagnosed every year with cervical cancer. Cervical screening prevents around 70% of cervical cancer deaths but, shockingly, less than 70% of eligible women and people with gynae organs between the ages of 25 and 64 took up the offer of free cervical screening last year. If everyone attended their appointment, screening could prevent up to 83% of cervical cancer deaths. There are lots of personal reasons why women and people with gynae organs are reluctant to go to the appointment, but cervical screening is the only preventative test that can stop cancer from developing.

The Eve Appeal is the leading national charity funding research and raising awareness of the five gynaecological cancers. Integrated marketing agency, Wunderman Thompson UK, has created a campaign named ‘Check Me Out’ to help the charity raise awareness and encourage people to book their cervical screening appointments.

The social film taps into one of the hottest holiday Instagram trends, ‘hot dogs or legs’, and attempts to change the way that women think about their cervical screening appointment in a step-change to the messaging that is more typical of healthcare advertising.

As you’re often in the same position sat poolside or lying on a beach as you are for your screening appointment, the film plays on the comparison, helping women make a positive association with a test that could, quite literally, save their life. Flicking between snaps of beachy hot dog legs with titles that boast ‘Check me out’, the film switches to shots of women about to have their cervical screening test and the credible voice of the charity itself, asking women to be checked out ‘for a better reason – to save your life. Cervical screening can prevent cervical cancer. When you’re invited, book’, ending with #CheckMeOut.

Launching on 23rd January, the first day of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, the social campaign will run across The Eve Appeal’s Instagram page and will be supported by influencers throughout the week.

Athena Lamnisos, CEO at The Eve Appeal, says: “By attending your cervical screening appointment, you are giving yourself the best chance of stopping cancer from developing. The campaign, running during an important moment of the year when cervical cancer prevention will be top of mind, brings a lighter approach to encourage people to think about their health – and vitally, cancer prevention - in a positive way and motivate them to book and go to their cervical screening appointment when they receive their NHS invite letter.”

Charli Plant and Laura Saraiva, creative leads at Wunderman Thompson UK, add: “We wanted to reach young women where they invest a lot of time – Instagram. We saw the opportunity in the ‘hot dogs or legs’ trend and wanted to nudge this behaviour of feeling good about yourself in a holiday snap, to celebrating doing something positive for your health. Encouraging women to be checked out for a better reason. We’re proud to have partnered with The Eve Appeal and hope the campaign can encourage as many women as possible to make their appointments.”

Credits:

Creative Leads: Charli Plant & Laura Saraiva

Executive Creative Director: Tom Drew

Account Lead: Evie Nagy

Film Editor: Deri Watt