shock tactics - a reputation minefield or a risk worth taking?
DESCRIPTION
Ali Stunt, CEO, and Natasha North, marketing and communications manager, Pancreatic Cancer ActionTRANSCRIPT
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
Shock tactics - a reputation
minefield or a risk worth
taking?
Pancreatic Cancer Action advertising campaign
Limited resources – maximum impact!
Ali Stunt, CEO and FounderNatasha North, Marketing and Communications Manager
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
About Pancreatic Cancer Action
Set up in 2010 by a rare survivor
Key aim is to get more people diagnosed in time for surgery – only cure!
Focused on raising awareness of disease and symptoms
Small charity with 2.5 full-time equivalent staff
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
Big problem
No method of early detection
Chronically underfunded
◦ Receives just 1% of cancer research funding
Chronic lack of awareness
◦ 70% of UK population do not know where their pancreas is or what it does
◦ 50% patients never heard of disease before their own diagnosis
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
The Strategy
Stand out and provoke thought
Generate interest so people read on
Get the most out of limited budget and resources
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I wish I had… campaign
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Why the campaign was necessary
There has been a huge improvement in survival rates of many cancers in 40 years
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Objectives of the campaign
Tackle low awareness◦ Of the disease in general
◦ Of diagnosis, survival rates and lack of research funding
◦ Of symptoms
Drive earlier diagnosis◦ Get more people to ask their doctor
◦ Encourage doctors to be less ‘shy’ about referrals
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The advert featuring real
patients…
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We did our research…
Neuroscience
Measured how 115 people responded to the adverts.
Outcome: risk of offence was low once people had read
the advert.
Online survey (2000 respondents)
Outcome: only 6% were angry and over 50% were
made more aware and wanted to do more.
In-depth interviews with people affected by different
cancers
Outcome: once the message was understood, they
were supportive of the advert.
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
Low cost – maximum impact
The adverts appeared only 9 times over 4 days in regional newspapers in London and Manchester.
Total spend for the initial hard-hitting campaign was £15,000
Followed up with symptoms campaign on London Underground featuring same three patients….
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The symptoms advert…
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What happened
Social media went bonkers
Inundated with media calls in one day
Spokesperson in high demand
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How we managed it
Adaptability
Respond to media enquiries quickly
Released regular statements online and on social media
Prioritise complainants
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Extensive media coverageThe campaign reached well over 20 million people just in the UK and more globally (backed up
by research).
Over 150 pieces of press coverage relating to the advertising in the UK alone:
TV including Newsnight, Daybreak and Sky News
Online and printed national including The Times, Daily Mail and BBC News
Extensive radio coverage including most BBC stations, 5 Live and LBC
At least 100 regional pieces of coverage. Also:
International coverage including US Doctors TV, CBS Canada, BBC World Service and
Melbourne 10
Social media – Twitter mentions of pancreatic cancer up 69% on previous month of
campaign and over 100% increase in followers on Facebook.
Over £1m of highest quality earned media
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
The good…
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The bad…
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The ugly…
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What the comms team could
have done differently
More resource
Complaints procedure
Used a monitoring tool
Received more third party input
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Impact of the campaign
Months after the campaign it is still being discussed.
43% of people who recognised campaign more aware of the symptoms.
Traffic on explanatory page of website up 963%.
Donations up 60% on same period last year.
Modelled increase in pancreatic cancer diagnosis 14% up.
Modelled number of lives saved = 36.
www.pancreaticcanceraction.org
Impact of the campaign
Surge in petition signatures
Drug approved by Cancer Drugs Fund
Meeting with Jeremy Hunt and Lord Saatchi
Offered speaking opportunities
Pancreatic cancer has higher profile
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The challenges for a small team
• Lack of resource
• Managing damage limitation -
building bridges while fighting fires
• Supporting stakeholders
• Emotional impact
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Was the campaign worth it?As Philip Schofield said to the late Kerry Harvey on This Morning:
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Summary
Means to an end
Set out to shock in order to get attention and then use that attention to deliver an
important message.
Do your homework
Use research to assess the risk.
Be brave
Don’t be put off by the impossible – be prepared to take a calculated risk.
Ride the momentum
use it to drive change