A national Melanoma Spot Check Week is scheduled for next year, and Because, in partnership with Melanoma New Zealand, is doing everything possible to help save as many lives as possible in 2024. Here’s how.
We’re all guilty of putting off important tasks… even if we know they can save our lives. Take checking for melanoma (skin cancer) for instance. Many of us living in warmer climates are out and about in the sunshine daily, so many of us are at risk, right? But when last did you have your skin checked? Exactly.
Because, in partnership with Melanoma New Zealand, is preparing well in advance for national Melanoma Spot Check Week next year. Early detection can make a huge difference when it comes to skin cancer, and we’ve got 7 days in 2024 to remind as many people as possible to have their skin checked.
But marketing in the public sector is often challenging, especially when it comes to one’s health. The messages might be particularly sensitive, and the audience, hard to reach, which is why we’ve opted to go face-to-face with the Melanoma New Zealand campaign.
Brand experience marketing is a brilliant way to reach out and connect with people. It’s more personal, more trustworthy and often also a lot more cost-effective when you look at the outcomes. The stats from our ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign are solid proof of this – 1 in 6 people visited a GP as a result of our engagement. That’s huge! You can read all about it here.
It’s years of these types of learnings that motivated us take the melanoma checking to the people (for FREE) a year before the big event. The activation we create for 2024 needs to work as hard as possible, so we thought we’d do a trial run with a Pop-up Spot Check Booth – a 4-day mini test-and-learn experience to help us hone next year’s campaign.
Location was important. We needed to be in a high footfall, yet high dwell-time area, where there was a good cross section of the community – so Westfield malls were perfect. They also provided the space free of charge (a BIG thanks to them).
Privacy was also crucial to make people feel comfortable. So, when designing our custom built ‘pods’ there were a few boxes they had to tick. They needed to be roofed, eye-catching, transportable, easy to assemble, and able to be used in a variety of locations.
Now add striking communication offering a FREE 5-minute and non-invasive spot check, and a warm, and experienced dermoscopy Nurse, and you’ve got an activation that’s literally saving lives.
Once again, this pop-up proved how effective face-to-face marketing can be in the private sector. The spot checks were a great way to engage in conversation about the importance of early detection and impart life-saving advice about melanoma. The proposition was simple, and the action was clear, and the results speak for themselves.
At our single stand over the 4-day period:
- 312 patients were seen
- 37 suspicious lesions were found
- 17 of those were melanomas
Those with suspicious spots were encouraged to follow up with a doctor, asap.
This test-and-learn activation, together with a nationwide survey to capture information on what the public currently know about melanoma, will enable us to maximise the results for our campaign for next year. A follow-up survey will be sent out, further capturing insights and feedback to ensure New Zealand Spot Check Week 2024 is completely on point. We look forward to seeing you out there and we look forward to doing work that is actually saving lives.
Melanoma NZ would love to thank Pub Charity Limited, for its grant in support of the campaign.
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