Using football humour to creatively highlight a different kind of balls

Client: The Testicular Cancer Society

An estimated 1 in 250 men will face testicular cancer in their lifetime. Early detection is crucial for a high survival rate. This makes self-checks vital. However, traditional awareness campaigns often fail to resonate with the men most at risk aged 15-35. How can you develop a disruptive campaign that grabs the attention of this tricky demographic, raising awareness of testicular cancer, and communicates this life-saving information effectively?

Two words: Football and humour. Leveraging the power of football, the favourite sport of many young men worldwide, and humour, UM Birmingham created a unique media moment. We hijacked popular, fan-owned, "watchalong" streaming content with the commentators themselves incorporating our self-check message in their own inimitable style during free kicks. This surprised the viewers by turning a traditionally "serious" topic into a playful and informative segment within the commentary at one of the tensest moments in the game. This was supported by creative, free-kick themed self-check mid-roll ads within YouTube free-kick highlight videos and Sky Football and Talksport. We delivered a crucial message through disruptive and attention-grabbing content that resonated with men at moments of extremely high attention, all during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. The 'Highlight Your Balls' campaign achieved 42 million impressions, turbocharging brand perception and consumer engagement. We significantly boosted user engagement, with a 30% increase in acquisition and a 92% rise in homepage interactions. Donations surged, showing a 338% increase. All from a media budget of just £7k – Champion!