“Love Your Colon” (Genentech, Calcium)
Doctors, researchers, pharmacists, survivors, advocates, and health insurers wanted to come together to promote awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the need to screen people of all ages. CRC is the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S. Every three years, the American Cancer Society provides an update of CRC occurrence based on data from population-based cancer registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. By the end of 2020, their research approximates 17,930 cases in men and women, with 3,640 colon cancer deaths in patients younger than 50.
Entrusted with this important task, Calcium created the “Love Your Colon” campaign to provide a profound understanding of screening options for healthcare providers, employers, and health systems in order to take action against CRC and save lives.
The visual feel and design of the campaign is lighthearted and welcoming in order to combat the dread associated with colon screenings and ignite real conversations among people. Meanwhile, the copy of the campaign was very conversational and was designed to elevate awareness of how common colorectal cancer is, who is most at risk for testing, and activate appropriate individuals to get tested by demystifying the actual colonoscopy procedure. Customizable educational materials for use by all key stakeholders were also made available online at LoveYourColon.org, allowing anyone (i.e., a payer) to download the content and then add in their own logo before distributing to members.
One example of its effectiveness: the “Love Your Colon” initiative increased screening rates for BlueCross BlueShield members in South Carolina by 45%.
