Global.Ad.Geeks: Humans vs cancer? Advantage Humans

by Mandy & Jon (@mandyldewaal) The biggest advantage that people have had in the war against cancer has been our humanness. The American Cancer Society puts this powerful message front and centre in an arresting new campaign by Chicago­-based agency DDB. Launched at the beginning of November this year, the public awareness campaign is called “Advantage Humans” and it focuses upon the power of our collective humanity to redefine what being successful against cancer means.

“The aim of the campaign is to channel the range of raw emotions and unique human traits we all share to triumph over cancer every single day,” says the American Cancer Society concerning this new campaign.

Gary Reedy, CEO of American Cancer Society, explains, “Our new campaign, Advantage Humans, marks a turning point in the fundamental way we talk about cancer. We’re seeing greater advancements in treatments and so much personal success in all the patients, survivors and family members we support, but we know the upper hand against cancer comes down to all of us. As the largest voluntary health organisation, we hope that people will help us change the conversation about a disease that is often difficult to express openly and honestly.”

In one of the ads, we see a plaid-­shirted mom outside her powder-­blue home, chopping wood. Her mouth is pursed in concentration, and she looks mad. “We’re only human,” the voiceover states matter­-of­-factly. “We get angry. Out of control. Mad­-to­-the­-core angry.” Each declaration of emotion sees the axe fall, and the wood give way to the blade again. And again.

“So, Cancer, you’ve got two options. Get out of the way, or get rolled over,” the commercial voiceover continues. The dénouement of this TV ad sees the mum take an armful of kindling inside, stoke the fire, and then embrace her child, who has lost all her hair and is sitting comfortably in front of the warm blaze.

“Anger,” the V/O states. “Just one reason more of us are surviving cancer than dying from it.”

The public service announcement is a fundraising drive, but what’s encouraging about this campaign is that it promotes the best part of what it means to be human to get its point across. As such the campaign is remarkably uplifting and inspiring, despite dealing with a life­-threateningly difficult subject.

There are four 30­-second television spots in this campaign that were shot by cancer­ survivor and director, Rodrigo Garcia Saiz. Similarly, the print ads for this campaign were shot by photographer and cancer ­survivor, Sandro Miller. The subjects of the adverts are all people who have survived cancer. The “Courage” print ad features Isabel Lopez, a 15-year-old dancer with lymphoma; the “Defiance” print ad features Brandon Winter, a leader in the Society’s Relay for Life events and a bone cancer patient.

The result is a campaign that looks well set to achieve its objective — to change the conversation about cancer.

 

Credits (courtesy of AgencySpy)

Broadcast

Client: American Cancer Society
Agency (with location): DDB Chicago
CCO: John Maxham
ECD: Jean Batthany
CDs: Karin Rose, Marybeth Adduci, Marisa Groenweghe, Kathleen Tax
AD: Colleen Keesey
Chief production officer: Diane Jackson
Executive producer: Debora den Iseger
Senior producer: Joe Tipre
Integrated business lead: Kate Christiansen
Group strategy director: David Chriswick
Account director: Marc Singer
Account executive: Billie Pritzker
Account manager: Katelyn Ledford
Production business manager: Ryan Hentsch
Production company: Central Film North
Director: Rodrigo Garcia Saiz
DP: Guiermo Garza for Devotion and Beto Casillas for Anger, Courage and Stubborness
Executive producer: John Barreiro
Editorial company: Whitehouse Post, Chicago
Editors: Carlos Lowenstein, Glorily Velez
Editorial producer: Dawn Guzowksi
Post-Production: The Mill, Chicago
Colourist: Luke Morrison
Post-producer: Samantha Letzler
VFX company: The Mill, Chicago
VFX: Randy McEntree
VFX producer: Samantha Letzler
Audio post company: The Studio
Mixer: Nicholas Papeleo
Audio post producer: Stacey Simcik

Print

Agency: DDB Chicago
CCO: John Maxham
ECD: Jean Batthany
CDs: Karin Rose, Mary Beth Adduci, Marisa Groenweghe, Kathleen Tax
AD: Colleen Keesey
Chief production officer: Diane Jackson
Executive art producer: Suzanne Koller
Art producer: Allison Reeck
Senior print producer: Carla Nieto
Integrated business lead: Kate Christiansen
Group strategy director: David Chriswick
Account director: Marc Singer
Account executive: Billie Pritzker
Account manager: Katelyn Ledford
Photography: Sandro
Producer: Zack Sabin
Retouching: JS Graphics
DDB Studio: Tom Waterloo, Katy Bode, Andre Wells, Mike Johnson, Jack Battiste

 

Mandy de Waal and Jon Pienaar are writers, and are the co-founders of Jo!Ma Media — a company that creates kief content.

 

 

 

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