Net#work BBDO #GivesASh!t about fighting colon cancer

The agency decided not to go with the statistic-laden scare tactics so often seen in health category communications, but rather a more direct approach to motivate the age 45+ sector of the population that is most at risk to be tested regularly.

Brad Reilly, Net#work BBDO's ECD, says, “Health is a very personal concern, so we created a campaign that tells the target audience that they need to care about their colon health, and they can start doing so in the privacy of their own homes. Because of what your colon does, because of the way that this screening test works and, importantly, because everyone has something or someone they care about, #GiveAShit evolved.”

The two-minute #GiveAShit video is targeted at age 45+ consumers, both men and women and encourages them to give a sh!t about their health by clicking through to the UDoTest website to purchase a non-invasive colon screening test, which they can use at home. With these digital assets and the awareness campaign behind them, Net#work BBDO hopes to encourage 500,000 people, who may otherwise have been at risk, to know their colon cancer status and have started the journey to remission before the campaign ends.

Strategically, #GiveAShit launched in March and runs through April, which is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

“The tone and delivery of this work grabs people’s attention without triggering the fear impulse that’s all-too-easy to resort to in this sector. With this campaign, we hope to encourage people to stop procrastinating when it comes to being tested for colon health. The UDo Test removes the barriers of embarrassment, fear and finances, and we’ve added to the value of the product by making the audience aware of its necessity and benefits, in a language and tonality that are relatable and relevant.

“This is another example of a content-led campaign driven through social, with reach baked into it, which is right for the client’s business,” concludes Reilly.