Driving prostate cancer awareness with an award-winning campaign
In the UK, one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer; however, it receives almost half the funding of breast cancer. Our male cancer charity client wanted to raise awareness of the symptoms of prostate cancer and the need for additional funding to drive equality of care.
Client: Orchid - Fighting Male Cancer
Additional £75 million in government funding for prostate cancer announced mid-campaign
Achieved the support of 34 MPs, NHS England and NHS Choices
Campaign recognised with Third Sector and PMEA award wins
Our approach
The Beyond team developed the #FaceUpToProstateCancer campaign platform using the memorable acronym FACE to raise awareness of risk factors and symptoms:
Family history
Age
Changes in your pee
Ethnicity
We adopted a dual audience approach, targeting both policymakers and the public to drive awareness, influence policy and encourage earlier diagnosis.
After establishing the first All-Party Parliamentary Group on Male Cancers, we developed a thought-leadership report to lobby MPs, highlighting the rising incidence of prostate cancer and the need for increased government funding.
To reach those most at risk, we launched Male Cancer Awareness Week, creating a timely hook to increase the campaign’s relevance and news value. Through tailored digital and media materials, we drove meaningful engagement among consumers, healthcare professionals and key stakeholders.
Outcomes
The campaign secured widespread political and stakeholder engagement, including support from 34 MPs, NHS England and NHS Choices.
Targeted media outreach activity resulted in national broadcast interviews, including ITV1’s ‘This Morning’, alongside extensive coverage across national and consumer titles.
The campaign also contributed to the Government's announcement of an additional £75 million in funding for prostate cancer during the campaign.
Its success was further recognised by the industry, with Third Sector and PMEA award wins.
1 Prostate Cancer UK. Available here. (Accessed: November 2023).
2 Kashmira Gander. Why do some forms of cancer receive more research funding than others? The Independent. 2 October 2014. Available here. (Accessed: November 2023).
“The Face up to Prostate Cancer campaign demonstrated clear changes in attitude and behaviour. It was refreshingly clear on what it aimed to achieve and did so on a limited budget. It exceeded expectations and was an engaging, interesting and, above all, impactful campaign. An outstanding winner!”
PMEA Award judges’ comments