Murr Television: Bald For You [image]

Credits & Description:

Client: Murr Television
Product: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Agency: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Entrant: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Product/Service: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Idea Creation: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Media Placement: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Pr: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Production: Fp7/Bey Beirut, Lebanon
Managing Director: Emile Atallah (Fp7/Bey)
Regional Head of Strategic Planning / Creative Strategy Director: Tahaab Rais (Fp7/Mena)
Senior Brand Planner: Carl Bou Abdallah (Fp7/Bey)
Creative Director: Wissam Matar (Fp7/Bey)
Copywriter: Nadyn Chalhoub (Fp7/Bey)
Art Director: Rosy Mouallem (Fp7/Bey)
Senior Account Manager: Mia Estephan (Fp7/Bey)
Digital Director: Nassif Abou Aloula (Fp7/Bey)
General Manager: Colette Cherfane (Um Beirut)
Senior Digital Media Executive: Joelle Cherfane (Um Beirut)
Video URL: https://www.facebook.com/franc...
The Campaign:
BALD FOR YOU:
In Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for Murr Television (known as mtv), a leading Lebanese TV channel, we shocked and moved women across Lebanon, through an influencer going bald – as a message of prevention.
We identified one female influencer - Francoise Freifer. And through a completely unscripted video intervention, we got her to go bald for the most important woman in her life: Her mother.
Through “I’m going bald, so you don’t have to and you don’t to have to suffer from breast cancer”, Francoise then invited women and men viewing the video (on her social networks as well as on Murr Television’s social media channels) to go bald (for the women in their lives) and make a statement to women about the importance of regular checks, so that they didn’t have to suffer the agony of breast cancer. In turn, this intervention drove conversations and check-ups.
Execution:
The video of Francoise going bald, on social media, spread across social media in Lebanon. People were surprised and inspired to participate.
The response was instant as men and women took the idea on.
Comments and conversations were triggered around the importance of early detection.
Murr Television used its popular shows to broadcast Francoise’s message.
Ambient stickers in popular hair salons as well as pop-up salons across Lebanon, invited women and men in Lebanon to go bald, positively provoking the women in their lives to get themselves checked. The hair collected was treated and then, donated to NGOs in Lebanon to create wigs for breast cancer patients.
Women were also educated about breast cancer checks as well as about the medical centres where they could go and get themselves checked, through digital and on-the-ground content from Murr Television.
In a country with a total population of 4.5 million, 3.5 million watched Francoise go bald.
It got a lot of positive word of mouth from countries outside Lebanon and from around the world, with 120+ articles making it the most trending content on breast cancer in MENA.
News channels across the Lebanon and the Middle East covered the idea organically, generating 90 million impressions, $510,000 earned media, 127,000+ shares – all for a media investment of $1,500.
The key result were changes in attitude of women:
“Actions speak louder than words!” (Rouba)
“Support Bald For You because early detection can save lives” (Maya)
“Made me want to go and get myself checked. I’m ready” (Layal)
In only 4 months, cancer centres reported +78% awareness of the importance of early detection.
And in a country, where women don’t even speak about cancer, screenings increased +32% in just 4 months.
The Situation:
Women in Lebanon would not take regular breast cancer screenings because they fear losing their hair as a result of treatments, if they knew they had cancer.
MTV (Murr Television), a leading channel in Lebanon and one woman going bald, shook the country, helping those very women overcome the stigma and fear.
It was the first-time that someone went bald as (a first-ever) nationwide message of prevention, educating people and activating participation.
Cancer centers reported +78% increase in awareness of early detection. And in just 4 months, in a country where women don’t even speak about cancer, screenings increased +32%.
The Strategy:
THE FIRST-TIME THAT SHAVING ONE'S HEAD WAS USED AS A NATIONWIDE CALLING FOR PREVENTION THAN SIMPLY IN SOLIDARITY:
When Murr Television, a leading media station in Lebanon, wanted to encourage early detection, through a hand-raising campaign, we chose to shock and move women.
Like other brands, NGOs and people have done before, we didn’t want “bald” being a message of solidarity; despite it being meaningful. We wanted “going bald” to be a calling for prevention; because that is the best cure.
And we used an influencer, through her social media channels as well as through the TV channel’s reach and influence (on TV and on social media) to move women from apathy to awareness and ultimately, to action.