In the U.S., more people are diagnosed with skin cancer than any other cancer combined. At least one in every five Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma, and nearly twenty Americans die from the disease every single day. However, if detected early, the five-year survival rate can be 98% or higher. These numbers mean that while the risk of getting skin cancer is very high, the chances of surviving are also very high—and studies have shown that partner-aided skin scans increase early detection of melanomas. As a result, melanoma awareness and detection is a top concern for Fuck Cancer, whose mission is to support those affected by cancer and change the way people think and talk about it, encouraging them to be active rather than passive when it comes to their cancer risk.
Working in partnership with The Variable, Fuck Cancer’s campaign insight came from a real-life moment when a team member discovered a suspicious mole on her partner during an intimate moment. The mole later turned out to be cancerous, turning an intimate moment into a life-saving one. This experience made it clear that the best time to check for skin irregularities is when someone you trust can check your full body. With this understanding, Serious Foreplay became a campaign aimed at building awareness of the importance of skin scans and encouraging couples to participate in partner-aided skin checks. The campaign focused on creating new opportunities for early detection and melanoma prevention.
For this to be effective, we knew we needed to break conventions. A cheeky, direct approach was the only way to go—because no one remembers the safe stuff. We launched Serious Foreplay in February, in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, with an all-in strategy across paid, earned, and social channels.
How We Did It:
Despite a very limited budget, the campaign's unique and shareable content, paired with a targeted media strategy made a big impact for Fuck Cancer, proving that bold creativity can drive powerful results:
Beyond reach, CPMs, or website visits, this campaign's real success came when an art director working on the project discovered a mole in a private area that needed to be excised and biopsied. This is serious success enough for us.
