October is National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and much of the media, public service and pharmaceutical marketing efforts surrounding it will celebrate the great success the healthcare industry has had in treating
breast cancer, and the fact that thanks to greater awareness and early diagnosis, more women now survive it than don't. The problem is that many women do not -- and must struggle with it the rest of
their lives, often with little public support and media awareness. In an effort to shift attention to women suffering from metastatic breast cancer, New York-based pharma agency CementBloc is
launching an innovative campaign that combines the power of digital and analogue media.
The campaign, "The Pledge To Fight Forward," is built around a digital component -- a site enabling supporters to pledge by sending an electronic postcard to show support and spread awareness of metastatic breast cancer. But supporters will
also be encouraged to do that the old-fashioned way -- via actual postcards distributed in hospitals, doctors' offices and treatment centers.
"The Pledge To Fight Forward" is being sponsored by
pharmaceutical marketer Celgene, and picks up where CementBloc's 2010 "Share The Little Things" effort left off, which was an OMMA Awards finalist,
and focused on sharing little, everyday things that inspire and support long-term breast cancer patients.
"'Share The Little Things' did have a strong call to action, but this is about the bigger
things -- about coming together to fight forward, to be more visible and show support," explains Elizabeth Elfenbein, a partner in The CementBloc.
While awareness is the primary goal of the
campaign, Elfenbein says it also is intended to de-stigmatize a disease where the sufferers don't necessarily get well.
"Breast cancer is a very vocal community, but most of the attention focuses
on the survivors, and metastatic breast cancer patients often feel like they are suffering alone," she explains, adding: "This campaign is designed to let them know there is a community out there that
supports them. It's a very activist-style, rallying cry to give support, inspiration and love."