Australia – Bowel Cancer Australia has teamed up with creative advertising agency Clemenger BBDO in their latest social and PR-led campaign that involves ‘Irregular Chocolates’ and spreading awareness on the topic of bowel cancer.
Coinciding with Valentine’s Day, this unconventional campaign leverages the day of love to encourage important conversations about poo and bowel habits between loved ones.
In partnership with chef and food designer Ryan L. Foote, the campaign will use exquisitely designed, 3D-printed ‘Irregular Chocolates’ that represent the bowel cancer symptoms. The four bespoke chocolates were Jammy (blood in your poo), Gooey (an obvious change in your bowel habit), Airy (weight loss you can’t explain), and Chunk (lump or swelling in your abdomen).
The premium chocolates are also made up of exquisite flavour profiles that abstractly reflect the symptoms people should look out for when it comes to bowel cancer.
Clemenger BBDO and Bowel Cancer Australia’s campaign aims to promote the idea of getting comfortable with your loved ones when talking about awkward things, such as bowel habits. With this, you or your loved ones can potentially save lives if they detect the onset of symptoms of diseases or terminal illnesses.
Also part of the campaign is video content featuring Elise’s heartfelt lived experience. The contents of the campaign were deployed on social media, as well as activation and influencer packs, to drive awareness and reach younger Australians.
Free boxes of the limited-edition boxes of Irregular Chocolates with information cards will also be available as part of a giveaway leading into and during the Valentine’s Day celebration.
Furthermore, TikTok has also joined the campaign, providing pro-bono support to amplify the message, reaching a younger audience, and encouraging them to have an unconventional conversation about the importance of symptoms, given the rising rates of bowel cancer in people under the age of 50.
Speaking on the campaign, Julien Wiggins, CEO of Bowel Cancer Australia, said, “We are grateful to work with Ryan and Clemenger BBDO on this unconventional campaign, which aims to overcome the poo taboo and raise symptom awareness in younger people, as bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer for people aged 25–44.”
Richard Williams, executive creative director at Clemenger BBDO, also commented, “To turn around perceptions of bowel cancer, we need to smash stigmas and normalise talking about poo, especially among younger demographics who think bowel cancer can’t affect them. What better way to reach and engage with them than via social. And what better time to launch a chocolate-driven campaign than in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day? Because if you really love someone, you can talk about anything.”
Meanwhile, Ryan L Foote added, “Art is an incredible driver of conversation. It’s inspiring to see Bowel Cancer Australia and Clemenger BBDO lean on unique creativity and design in educating and engaging the public on such an important yet under-represented topic. I’m honoured to be a part of it all.”