Marketing communication agency, RPM, has been commissioned to develop a campaign to promote Cancer Research UK's ongoing partnership with Nivea Sun. The roaming campaign will be a part of the wider, 'thermally activated' media campaign, which Nivea has developed with its partner agencies; MEC, AKQA and FCB Inferno. The partnership between Cancer Research UK and Nivea Sun actively encourages people to enjoy the British Summer (what little we have of it), whilst also raising awareness of, and funds for research into melanoma (skin cancer), which is a preventable condition that many people in this country simply don't take seriously, because of the notoriously inconsistent British weather. The campaign aims to teach families how to enjoy the sun safely, influencing sun safety behaviour such as spending time in the shade, covering up where necessary and using suncream.
The partnership between Cancer Research UK and Nivea encourages people to enjoy the sun, whilst also raising awareness of, and funds for research into melanoma
The campaign began at Southend-On-Sea last Sunday (the 15th of June), and takes the form of an ice cream cart, which ties into the message that the right amount of suncream for the average body is around the same size as a scoop of ice-cream. It will run across all Race for Life events, as well as at various beaches and parks throughout the South of England in June, July and August, with teams split between weekends (June – August) and weekdays (August). The 'thermally activated' aspect of the campaign is quite literal, meaning that the activity will only be taking place on days when the temperature is above 19 degree centigrade and the UV index is at 5 or above, giving RPM a 48 hour window to confirm. The message will be underlined by giveaways of free Nivea Sun, suncream samples and sun hats, and a digital campaign across social media sites, using the hashtag #gotmyhaton. Consumers who spread the word via Twitter, tweeting pictures of themselves wearing suncream and sun hats will be rewarded with a free beach ball!
Caroline Cerny, Cancer Research UK’s senior health campaign's manager, says the ice cream cart activity is just the latest chapter in a long history between the charity and RPM. A history, “Which has seen the agency manage Cancer Awareness Roadshows for the last seven years.” She says that whilst the message behind the campaign might be deadly serious, RPM has managed to make the experience fun, so she is “Confident the campaign will gain wide traction across the country on (what promises to be a Summer full of) glorious summer days.”
'Thermal activation', means that the activity will only be taking place on days when the temperature is above 19 degree centigrade and the UV index is at 5 or above
Dom Robertson, managing director of RPM, believes that the campaign “Sits at the core of RPM’s ultimate goal: influencing the way people behave and changing human behaviour through positive brand behaviour.” He admits, however, that the “Famously unreliable British weather,” presents them with quite a few unique challenges, and he and his team have found that “The only way to successfully deliver a thermally activated campaign is to appoint an in-house dedicated staffing agency and logistics team.” With this team in place, they are able to “Flexibly plan and implement staffing and logistics at short notice.”
Official Cancer Research UK Website
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer, musician and sun dodger from Kidderminster I the UK. He has proudly caked himself in factor 30 his entire life, as he doesn't so much get burnt by the sun, he cooks in it.
