Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, a woman finds herself in various scenarios where people talk to her about her disease. But instead of replying to the person, she breaks the fourth wall and tells us, the viewer, the honest and often ugly truth about how she’s really feeling, before coming back to reality in the scene and saying something far more anodyne and platitudinal to the person she’s speaking with. Only when she finds herself in a Breast Cancer Now support group, do the honest words she says in her aside, match the words she feels comfortable saying to the Breast Cancer Now counsellor.

The film concludes with a title: Want to talk more openly about breast cancer? We’re here.

People with breast cancer often hold back from saying how they’re really feeling about their diagnosis. Rather than speaking openly, they say what they think people want to hear, leading to feelings of isolation and despair.

Breast cancer charity Breast Cancer Now wanted to position themselves as a destination where people diagnosed with breast cancer can get support and have frank conversations with people who’ve experienced the disease first-hand. We were briefed to create a TV commercial that positioned Breast Cancer Now as the first port of call for honest support around a disease that’s often hard for people to talk about.

Our objective was to use creative insight to create a compelling and powerful script, that allowed us to cut through the cliches of cancer advertising and speak in a relatable way to both cancer patients and their friends and families.

Our film created a significant impact for Breast Cancer Now. It led to a 169% increase in conversation around the brand. The brand also became the UK charity with the greatest increase in brand awareness (15% increase), despite their media budget being far lower than their key competitors. The film also drove an 89% increase in attendance of Breast Cancer Now support sessions and a 40% increase in donations to the charity.