The rapid growth in the usage of contactless payment cards presented a golden opportunity to use ambient media as an activation to encourage immediate, frictionless donations to Cancer Research UK.

‘Tap to Beat Cancer’ was a groundbreaking innovation in charity fundraising that drove live engagement & interaction with over 70,000 British people, and generated a significant fundraising return to help keep the lifesaving work of Cancer Research UK going.

The activation was so succesfull that is being rolled out nationwide across Cancer Research UK’s network of shops across 2014.

In a world first, we partnered with Clear Channel to turn four of our shop windows into a donation channel, by installing contactless card readers.

As you pass a Cancer Research UK shop, you see a huge video screen showing a scientist waiting expectantly, with the message ‘Tap this window to beat cancer sooner’. Next to the video screen is a contactless card reader.

With a single tap of your card you could donate £2. With a single tap you could help save a life.

Each tap activates the video screen, setting the scientist to work, dramatically showing how every small donation keeps research going and helps beat cancer sooner, and thanks the the donor for their contribution to beating cancer.

“We believe that we’re changing our supporters’ behaviour, by fast-adapting to an emerging technology. We’re delighted that nearly 70,000 people in total engaged with our campaign, almost 1/6 of all passers-by in the two-week live period. The campaign also drove great brand and supporter engagement online, across PR and social media.

‘Tap to Beat Cancer’ has the potential to change the world of fundraising. If this activity were to be rolled out across our network of shops, it has the potential to generate annual income of over £1.2 million.“ Paul Clarke, Director of Innovation, Cancer Research UK

The campaign was so successful that Cancer Research UK are now looking at rolling this activity out across their national network of stores over the course of 2015.