Play Your Part

A campaign that doesn't just talk about beating cancer.

It feels wrong to say it, but there has never been more competition for donations and eyeballs between cancer charities and organisations. While they're all supposed to be unified under a common enemy, they all take a slightly different approach to fighting it. Many charities tell cancer stories in a human and emotional context, Macmillan has had a lot of success in getting people to sympathise with terminal cancer patients, and therefore open their wallets to make their final days a little easier.

However, when there is too much focus on the human effects of cancer, cancer can seem almost mythically unbeatable. It's the same technique used in horror films, every horror director knows that you show your villain as little as possible, and you show the effects they leave in their wake as much as possible. Cancer Research UK sees actual cancer every day in the lab, while the general public only see the effects of cancer. So with this campaign we propose a solution that lets the British public see actual cancer through a cancer researchers eyes, and beat cancer cells right where they stand.

So, we made cancer cells the stars of our campaign. We proposed streaming real live cancer cells live under the microscope, just like a cancer researcher in a lab would see them. They would jostle amongst healthy cells until someone came up and donated to CRUK through the placement. Then using analogues of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or thermotheraphy, we would show someone their donation actually killing cancer live.

This campaign went on to be shortlisted in the charity category of the Ocean Outdoor Digital Creative Competition 2021.