Together with NHS England we have launched a new campaign to drive more people to complete the bowel cancer screening test when sent one.
The latest data shows that almost one third of people who are sent a bowel cancer screening kit to use at home each year fail to provide a sample for testing. A number of reasons are to blame, from feeling it’s unhygienic through to cultural taboos regarding taking a poo sample, as well as the incorrect assumption that if you don’t have any symptoms, there’s no need to test.
But given that early-stage diagnosis of bowel cancer improves chances of survival by over 90%, it makes the test – and that tiny sample of poo – a life-saving opportunity.
As part of the NHS’ broader ambition to increase the proportion of all types of cancers being diagnosed early, the new campaign aims to boost participation in bowel cancer screening amongst those who get invited to take part.
Set to the Sammy Davis Jr anthem ’I’ve Got to Be Me’, we created a campaign that was distinctive, memorable and joyous to combat the feeling that taking a sample of poo is a bit, well… weird.
Our main character overcome with emotion breaks out in a toilet roll-ribbon dance through his house and outside in his garden, before quickly completing his test in the loo. A series of quick cuts depict the completion of the bowel cancer screening kit, before a voiceover instructs the audience, “Your next poo could save your life. If you’re sent a bowel cancer screening kit, put it by the loo. Don’t put it off”.
Along with TV, the integrated push also includes activity across video-on-demand, search, social, online video and community radio.
Currently around 4.5 million people are invited to take part in the NHS bowel cancer screening programme each year.
