Little insights can completely change the direction of a campaign.
VCCP’s last campaign for Macmillan support was built around an emotionally charged film about struggle and support. Not Alone packed a wallop. The campaign ran for four years and won a number of awards.
But it is drawing to a close and an insight from a Macmillan Cancer Support/YouGov survey of 2,005 UK adults with a previous cancer diagnosis followed by fieldwork between March 20 and 29, 2017, has been the catalyst for a completely different approach for the 2017 campaign. That report showed that 85% of people with cancer don’t want to be defined by the disease.
And the new campaign that VCCP has given Macmillan, Life with Cancer, is not about time out from life to deal with cancer. It’s about about ordinary life. Ordinary life that makes room for, but is not determined by, a cancer diagnosis.
It doesn’t shy away from showing the physical and emotional struggles but the four spots, Dad, Lover, Mates and Sister, focus on one important, positive message – life with cancer is still life.
“It’s a campaign about hope – about the moments where your life is just your life, and not your life with cancer,” VCCP noted.
The full campaign covers print, OOH, radio and TV and a social campaign that builds across the year.
It reflects new insights about dealing with cancer, from people living with cancer. These were also drawn from the Macmillan/YouGov survey.
When asked what helps people with cancer feel ‘normal’ when going through treatment:
- Just over two in five (41%) said spending time with their partner
- Nearly one in five (18%) said going to the pub with friends
- Nearly three in ten (28%) said having a meal out
- A quarter (25%) said day trips with friends or family
The campaign reminds people that spending time with their friends and family can help them feel ‘normal’ when they are going through treatment. The various executions show a series of important relationships and how these don’t have to change just because you have cancer.
Matt Lever, deputy executive creative director at VCCP, noted, “We’re really proud of this campaign and hope that it’ll challenge peoples’ perceptions of what life with cancer’s really like, while shining a light on the invaluable role Macmillan play in helping people affected by cancer to live a normal life.”
Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan, added, “At Macmillan, we know cancer can affect everything: your body, your relationships, your finances; we also know life doesn’t stop just because you’ve been diagnosed. With Life with Cancer, VCCP has succeeded in capturing the kaleidoscope of emotions someone with a cancer diagnosis can go through. It reflects what many people with cancer are telling us – they don’t want to be defined by their disease. We hope people see the adverts and know that support is available from Macmillan.”
Credits:
Creative Agency: VCCP
Deputy Executive Creative Director: Matt Lever
Art Director & Copywriter: Colin McKean
Planners: Andrew Perkins & Jenny Nichols
Account Management: Ben Wardle & Natalie Barry
Media Agency: PHD
Production Company: Outsider
Director: Jim Gilchrist
Executive Producers: Helen Brownlie (agency), Tex Travi (production company)
Post-production: Paul Wilmot & Lisa Vaughan @ MPC
Colourist: Jean Clement @ MPC
Audio post-production: Parv Thind @ Wave
Cinematography: Daniel Landin
Editor: Ben Campbell @ Cut & Run
