1 in 5 women in the Netherlands never check their breasts (source: Alexander Monro Hospital Research). 1 in 7 women wil be diagnosed with breasts cancer at some point in their life. Every year 17,000 women and 100 men in the Netherlands are diagnosed with it. Yet, 84% can think of only one symptom of breast cancer: a lump. 85% are not aware that most possible symptoms of breast cancer are detected by looking at your breasts. And what many people don’t know is that 20% – 25% of these people are younger than 50 years old. For young adults and their doctors breast cancer is not top of mind. Even when symptoms arise. Too often they get diagnosed at a later stage, making it harder to get treatment.

So TBWA\NEBOKO has developed The Breast Cancer Alphabet for the Breast Care Foundation, together with the Alexander Monro Hospital, create awareness and educate the younger generation about the importance of knowing your breasts. The Breast Cancer Alphabet is an animated series of 26 letters that represent different factors related to breast cancer.

The campaign’s mission is to educate younger men and women about the 26 factors and symptoms of breast cancer and the importance of regular checks.

Hannah Sterke & Nina Mispelblom Beijer, creatives at TBWA\NEBOKO, stated, “During our research, we discovered how few people are familiar with the symptoms of breast cancer. We all know the infamous lump, but there are so many more symptoms and factors to pay attention to. Enough to create an entire alphabet apparently. The Breast Cancer Alphabet gives both men and women in the Netherlands an accessible tool to educate themselves. We hope this will help to detect breast cancer at earlier stages.”

The campaign kicks off Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was launched with (ex) patients, their families, friends, doctors, and caretakers, who told their stories to the press. Alongside the press event, the campaign will be visible on narrowcastings in 600 GP practices across the Netherlands, and the medical posters will be sent to universities and hospitals, too. Various publishers, brands and media outlets have offered free advertising space to showcase the alphabet to a wide audience.

Darre van Dijk, chief creative officer at TBWA\NEBOKO, commented, “At TBWA\NEBOKO we love to use our creative talent to contribute to causes that touch our hearts. The Breast Cancer Alphabet is an amazing example of how creativity can create awareness for important topics. Charity campaigns depend on what people want to donate, even when it comes to media. It is great to see how this cause fired up our own people and every media partner that we reached out to.”

The Breast Cancer Alphabet is published on www.kenjeborsten.nl and the Instagram page @borstkankeralphabet (both in Dutch).

Credits
Client: Alexander Monro Hospital, Breast Care Foundation
Agency: TBWA\NEBOKO, TBWA\X
PR: Ovide Agency
Media Agency: EssenceMediacom
Production: MAKE by TBWA\NEBOKO
Photographer: Maxime Cardol (represented by Czar Amsterdam)
DOP: Tom Enzler 
Grading: Captcha
Sound: Joris Prakken