Every day, 96 loved ones go missing because of lung cancer.
There are often no early symptoms for lung cancer so early detection is vital. Our campaign for South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA) aimed to improve early diagnosis by reminding people (55 – 74) who have ever smoked not to miss their free NHS Lung Health Check.
We knew that up to 75% of eligible patients were not booking their free health checks despite being invited by letter, phone and text; so, we looked at behavioural insights to understand the barriers. We found that the absence of symptoms, especially after quitting smoking years ago, could result in some complacency. For some there was also a fear of the outcome, for others there were concerns about the logistics of making the appointment.
It became clear to us that we needed to bring this important health check to front of mind, not only for eligible patients, but to those who would be most influential when nudging them to have their lung health checks – their loved ones. We also needed to make sure the message was flooded into each of the targeted locations the health checks were taking place, to drive conversations in the local communities, workplaces and social areas, so people couldn’t miss it.
Statistically, we were aware that any significant uplift in response would save lives.
An empty chair. The daily reminder. A loved one missing and missing family moments to come. Our creative idea placed the issue at the heart of family. Having your health check is not just something you do for yourself, but for all the people you care about – and they are here to remind you.
The empty chair at a dinner table, in a living room or on a bus would be a simple and powerful way to create emotional engagement – to build on the potential heartbreaking feeling of missing a loved one. Our hero film featured empty chairs in everyday social situations and aimed to stimulate conversations in those environments.
We wanted the audience to appreciate the value of the free check and understand the possible implications of missing the opportunity. The clinching support message was the fact that the initial appointment call would take no more than 10 minutes.
Our hub film featured a patient in remission having been diagnosed early. She had taken the check. Her journey, her motivations, and the ‘reward’ for both her and her loved ones made for an inspiring story.
Of course, we were always aware that we were dealing with a sensitive subject. Somewhere we would have to strike a balance; not shirking the possible consequences of missing out on a lung health check, whilst not frightening those who may already be nervous about it. So, we ran focus groups and YouGov surveys to help us shape our tone and imagery. An online Meta A/B test campaign to over 25,000 people help us hone it further.
Roll out included a geo-targeted digital campaign on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Google reaching patients and loved ones over 6 weeks. We achieved high frequency and impact with our hero film and supporting hub content. We also partnered locally with organisations who could help us create and share multilingual content. This resulted in a partner toolkit including posters, videos, infographics and social media content so the community leaders could help spread the message.
