Catching cancer early.
Challenge
How do you take cancer awareness platforms historically built to focus on celebrating survivorship to the next level of inspiring fans to get screened themselves? How do you destigmatize certain health challenges in a way that encourages individuals to take preventative measures? How do you integrate a serious discussion into an event where the community comes to disconnect from challenges in their lives?
Working with the Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Kraken, Mariners and Seahawks league platforms for cancer awareness, we have engaged teams to talk about experiences and use their influence to ask fans to talk to their doctor about getting screened.
Approach
Playbook for Health has strategized and activated for its clients year-after-year on and off the field to inspire screenings, educate fans and community on ways to reduce their cancer risk and honor survivors.
Our approach to league-wide cancer awareness programs, as is our approach with all tentpole events, is to view the game day as the backdrop to the long term discussion. One road we take is to have players and team broadcasters share personal stories with how cancer has affected them with the call to action imploring fans to get their annual screenings.
Results
Pre-Event
Activation leading up to events should focus on awareness, facts, serious stories and CTAs. For Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and Emory Healthcare’s “Crucial Catch” activations, an informative landing page is launched at the beginning of October, providing fans with stats supported by player videos, patient stories and a frictionless approach for fans to schedule a screening or a second opinion if they have been diagnosed. These landing pages are supported by month-long social media posts through the team and healthcare system channels, team eblasts, and media coverage which include pre-recorded :30 spots, Q&A discussions and live interviews on local media.
With the Mariners, we had team broadcaster and prostate cancer survivor, Dave Sims, and team trainer emeritus, Rick Griffin, who also survived prostate cancer share their experiences in an online panel that included a CHI Franciscan urologist moderated by team legend Dan Wilson. The conversation was educational and highlighted the importance of going beyond your comfort zone to get screened. The team edited and produced the panel and posted it on their social and digital channels.
During the month of Hockey Fights Cancer, with iHeart Radio, the official radio partner of the Seattle Kraken, we produced spots to promote the month long campaign, and included on-air interviews with doctors and survivors to encourage screenings and fundraising.
On-Site Activation
Tailgate zones and concourses are an opportunity to merge celebrating survivorship and supporting those in our lives affected by cancer with having direct dialogue with fans to encourage screenings. With the Seahawks and Falcons, we set up activation areas in the tailgating / fan zones, providing educational materials, details on how to get screened, and giveaways celebrating survivorship with wearables as a reminder to talk with your doctor to get screened. Additionally, Crucial Catch is a great opportunity for healthcare systems’ to raise funds for cancer care services through concession / team store round-up, donation / auction sites and 50/50 raffles.
During the Seattle Kraken Hockey Fights Cancer game, tabling was provided adjacent to the team’s Hockey Fights Cancer jersey auction with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health as the beneficiary of the auction. Additionally, throughout the arena, co-branded “I Fight For” cards were handed out to the crowd to fill in names of friends and family impacted by cancer. The team had their players fill out the cards and shared on social media.
In-Game
Breaking through during in-game can be a challenge, and therefore we have chosen to primarily focus on celebrating survivorship, to align with the spirit of fans cheering on their favorite team, and the courageous fighters in their community.
For breast cancer awareness, the Mariners focused on a survivor, honoring them with opening pitch and celebrating their story on the video board. We use contracted assets of a TV spot, and social and digital media to share stories in the team voice. Mariners broadcast anchor, Angie Mentink, a breast cancer survivor and celebrated figure regionally, has told her story to inspire women to get screened and for those with breast cancer - to fight.
On-field survivor celebrations, and player and patient stories on the video board during the Seahawks and Falcons games has proved to resonate with the fans and community.
At the official Kraken Hockey Fights Cancer game, the Climate Pledge Arena was lit up in lavender (the official color for the NHL campaign) with the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health logo on the ice. At period breaks, stories of survivorship were told and celebrated, with one patient aboard the Zamboni waving to the crowd.
Post-Game
The game isn’t over after the final whistle. Major awareness events continue through the applicable month with recap photos and videos celebrating survivors who attended the game, and more opportunities for charitable endeavors and to inspire screenings in the team voice.