Breast Cancer Care launches first TV advertising campaign
Howard Lake | 4 March 2005 | News
Breast Cancer Care’s first TV advertising campaign will be aired on 14 March 2005. Created by M & C Saatchi, it has been directed by award-winning film director Mike Leigh and features a host of celebrities.
Breast Cancer Care’s ‘Strength through Support’ campaign aims to make more people aware of the key services that the charity offers to those affected by breast cancer across the UK. The campaign will run on TV and in print media for three weeks. Everyone involved has given their time for free.
All of the celebrities who appear in the advertisement have been touched by breast cancer in some way. They include charity patrons Cherie Booth QC, Geri Halliwell and Joan Bakewell and celebrity supporters, Denise Lewis, Jerry Hall, Denise Van Outen, Zoe Ball, Alison Steadman, Lorraine Kelly and Meera Syal.
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The campaign began when Martha Greene, owner of top London restaurant, Villandry, who recently had breast cancer, approached Breast Cancer Care with a proposal. She introduced the charity to M & C Saatchi, who devised an advertising creative for TV and print and then approached Mike Leigh who was keen to get involved. Simon Dicketts, Executive Creative Director of M & C Saatchi, then devised a talking heads style advertisement in which each person delivers one line of the script, beginning with the line “If breast cancer were able to choose…”
In addition to Breast Cancer Care’s own TV ad placements, QVC, the charity’s official broadcaster, is supporting the campaign by airing the advertisement.
Dorothy Perkins will also be supporting Breast Cancer Care by providing in-store poster space for the campaign.
As part of the campaign, Breast Cancer Care has produced a new fuchsia pink wristband, embossed with words which echo the message of the campaign – SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE STRENGTH. This fashion accessory will sell for £1 and can be ordered online at Breast Cancer Care’s website. Dorothy Perkins is the official clothing retailer of the wristbands which will be available in 500 of their stores.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.