For the NHS to achieve its ambition to increase the proportion of cancers diagnosed at stages 1 and 2 from around half to three quarters by 2028, it needs to encourage people to be more familiar with their bodies and adopt a mindset of ‘knowing what’s normal for you’.

Broadcast advertising from the NHS and others has played its part in shifting attitudes on cancer. Our objective now is to drive a greater mindset of body awareness and normalise regular checking - early diagnosis drives improved outcomes.

We needed to create new ‘touchpoints’ to get close to moments where people are thinking about their body. There are very few media opportunities to reach people in their most intimate moments.

New research we commissioned, found that consumers are looking to trusted brands and products to support their health and wellbeing.

NHS research shows that lack of body awareness is a key barrier to adults spotting cancer early. In other words, people are not recognising new changes to their body which may include cancer symptoms. What’s more, pre-existing or ambiguous health conditions or changes due to lifestyle (e.g., weight gain) can mask symptoms.

To move people into a mindset of ‘body awareness’, and get them to spot cancer symptoms early, we needed to get as close as possible to intimate moments when people are thinking about their bodies.

For the first time ever, labels in crop-top bras and boxers have been reimagined and adapted to deliver messages from the NHS every time people get dressed. This innovative partnership with Morrison’s own clothing brand Nutmeg delivers vital cancer symptom messaging on underwear products. Advice was tailored by product; crop-top bras highlight common breast cancer symptoms and boxer shorts highlight testicular cancer symptoms.

Given that 1 in 2 of us will be affected by cancer in our lifetime, and the NHS’s ambitious to increase early diagnosis, our audience is all adults.

Our media strategy uses the principles of Behavioural Science and the EAST framework to shift behaviour:

EASY: Nudging consumers to be body aware and check themselves when it’s easiest - when they are getting changed.

ATTRACTIVE: Attract attention to messages about testicular and breast cancer with an innovative use of media – reimagining underwear care labels.

SOCIAL: Harness two highly trusted brands in society, the NHS and Morrisons.

TIMELY: Issue potentially life-saving prompts when people are thinking about their bodies.

Our approach was to get as close as possible to the point of checking to deliver a message from the NHS in underwear labels every time people get dressed. A small-scale media solution, offering big impact.

For the first time ever, labels in crop-top bras and boxers were used to deliver a message from the NHS every time people get dressed. This innovative partnership with Morrisons own clothing brand Nutmeg delivers vital breast and testicular cancer symptom messaging on product.

Advice was tailored by product; crop-top bras highlight common symptoms of breast cancer and boxer shorts highlight testicular cancer symptoms.

By using Nutmeg's everyday essential wear, this means our messaging and checking prompts are there every time people get dressed.

Product packaging expands on the key messages, explaining more about testicular and breast cancer symptoms and people at risk.

To date, 400,000 pairs of Nutmeg boxer shorts and crop-top bras carrying NHS care labelling have been sold across 240 Morrisons stores.

This unique initiative was amplified by a high-profile PR campaign featuring stories of hope from four cancer patients.

This innovative product reinvention of the humble care label was a catalyst for big results. 

To date, nearly 400,000 pairs of Nutmeg-branded boxer shorts and crop-top bras carrying NHS care labelling have been sold. The products continue to be stocked across 240 Morrisons stores. 

This unique product innovation was amplified by a high-profile PR campaign featuring stories of hope from four cancer patients. It achieved more than 180 pieces of high-quality media coverage across national and consumer titles were generated, including BBC news, The Mirror, The Sun, Sky News, The Telegraph and Daily Mail. This achieved a reach of 475 million.

Organic content posted across NHS, Morrisons and influencer social media channels have achieved over 1.1 million impressions so far.