Cancer Cell Abstracts

Winner of the GOLD Award at Summit International Awards 2018 in the Outdoor Posters Category.

Challenge: According to the World Health Organization, the Middle East is witness to a staggering rate of 12 people diagnosed with breast cancer every day, with nearly 4,500 cases being publicly reported every year. This alarming increase was part ignorance and mostly fear of even discussing this issue. This has a knock-on effect for NGOs or social organizations who can’t generate the required funds for treatment.
Insight: This meant targeting large scale, blue-chip corporate institutions that had the right and relevant bent of mind, involved in philanthropy. Where people would be motivated into action to donate their money to a much-needed cause.

Idea/Execution: Breast cancer is a hidden danger that is skin deep. When Breast cancer occurs, cells divide and grow without their normal control. We dramatized this truth by executing a series of posters that revealed real-life, magnified images of breast cancer cells, during October which is Breast Cancer month. Seen from a distance, they resembled abstract art paintings but when the viewer came closer, the artist was revealed as ‘nature’. Even the titles such as ‘Purple Pain’ and ‘Cosmic Chaos’ were by design, made to echo and resemble ‘art pieces’ that high-end ‘art conscious’ corporate connoisseurs would immediately relate to, till they realized that it was a warning to get people to go in for a check-up.

Results: We chose two key institutions in Dubai – the World Trade Center where the Business Network International (BNI) breakfast meetings took place and the India Club for showcasing the paintings/posters. BNI members donated generously to the cause, many of them discussing the issue at length in meetings, while the India Club hosted a talk among doctors while keeping the poster at centerstage to reinforce the issue. The response? 60% generous uptake in donation which were collected over a month. And increased awareness.