In Ukraine breast cancer is the most widespread oncological disease among women — every 7th-8th woman has breast health issues. 40% of patients do not survive (one of the highest mortality rates in Europe). Primary cause: every 4th woman is diagnosed when there are already metastases. Breast cancer is almost incurable at this point. Although chances of cure at stage1 are 95%, and there are plenty of diagnostic centers. However, harmful mentality “it’s better not to know any news than to hear bad news” makes women postpone their visit to a doctor.

Avon has a CSR platform aimed at combating breast cancer, which includes awareness building and fundraising to purchase medical equipment.

The BRAve campaign aims to address specifically the problem of belated breast cancer diagnosis. It encouraged women to act for their own health and that of their dearest women by getting timely examination and passing the initiative forward.

To help women overcome the fear of possible news about breast cancer diagnosis, Avon launched a brave relay when women encouraged each other to see a breast physician.

To start this relay we created a special collection of lingerie — BRAve* — which was made by tailors who got breast ultrasound screening before sewing the bras. Tailors wrote personal messages to customers to encourage them to check their breasts as well as continue the relay. Female customers then passed their own message of bravery to their sisters, mothers, daughters, friends.

* In Ukrainian the same word that means brave also has a BRA part: it’s ??????? in Cyrillic letters.

While talking to women diagnosed with breast cancer on the late 3rd-4th stage we’ve realized that the fear of hearing bad news "paralyzes" action and a woman doesn’t visit a breast physician, even knowing something is wrong. The fear provokes hurtful inaction, despite the situation’s fatality. Until the diagnosis is heard, there’s a glimpse of hope that everything will eventually go away. At the same time, a positive example and support from a member of close social circle can make it easier to decide and visit a breast physician.

We've reached women in that very moment when they think about their breasts the most — while shopping for a bra. With a special collection of bras — BRAve — we've seeded a message that it’s okay to be afraid to get a screening, but we also informed that early diagnosis gives a much higher chance of surviving breast cancer.

To create a BRAve collection Avon collaborated with a local partner — women lingerie manufacturer Anabel Arto. We arranged a special breast screening for the tailors of Anabel Arto production facility. Then tailors wrote personal notes to future customers, encouraging clients to visit a breast physician as they did while sewing lingerie. We made special BRAve labels with those hand-written notes and attached them to bras. So, when a woman was shopping, she could read a personal message, directly from the tailor. Customers could also buy charity postcards to pass the ‘torch' on to their friends, moms, sisters, daughters.

We filmed this and created a digital video to promote the collection and raise breast cancer awareness.

BRAve collection was sold in offline and online stores in May-October, 2018. It was announced at an event for media and influencers in May 2018.

71% of Ukrainian women, who never saw a breast physician and didn’t plan to, decided to visit a doctor after our BRAve nudge.

265% higher sales of BRAve collection, compared to the same bras that were made before the BRAve label (Y2Y comparison).

The campaign not only reached thousands of women directly, but also raised funds for Avon Charitable Foundation to purchase mammography equipment for a regional oncology clinic (10% of profit from sales of the collection were directed to this charity).

910,000 women were reached offline with the BRAve message in points of sale.

1,500,000+ were reached with Avon catalogue.

2,000,000 – earned reach in traditional and social media.

Influencers and journalists wrote about BRAve and did a breast screening themselves to encourage their readers and followers to see a breast physician.