Testicular Cancer Society Asks Men to Check Their Balls During the Football

It’s estimated that 8-10,000 men will develop testicular cancer every year, with one in 250 men developing it at some stage in their lives. That’s why self-checks are so important, as an early diagnosis means a higher survival rate. But videos demonstrating how to perform them are usually boring and cringe. No wonder most guys skip them altogether.  

But there is one type of ball-related video that most men cannot get enough of. Football highlights on YouTube. These clips rack up millions of views, making them the prime media placement for a self-check demonstration. And US-based Testicular Cancer Society and their advertising agency, FP7 McCann Dubai, identified the perfect moment for a self-examination to get rolling within these footy clips. In those few intense moments just before a free kick, when the defenders in the wall instinctively shield their groins with their hands, they demo how to check your beloved balls. 

Launched just in time for Cancer Awareness month in April, the 'Highlight Your Balls' campaign messaging seamlessly blends with the footage of the game, by leveraging YouTube’s mid-roll technology to ensure the content plays moments before the free kick is struck. The clip shows a close-up of three actors wearing the exact same shorts and jersey colours of the defending team, focusing on the groin of the man in the middle of the wall. The actor performs a quick self-examination, as a voiceover explains the procedure in the style of a commentator from that match highlights’ specific region. The ad closes with a call to men to head to the Testicular Cancer Society website for more info. The original clip then gets back to the action. 

By getting different VO artists to do the commentary in languages spoken by the world’s biggest football fans (German, Italian, Japanese, English, Arabic and Portuguese) the mid-rolls are featured in clips from relevant leagues and regions. And get this: they created over 100 clips from just five jerseys, five pairs of shorts, three actors, and a green screen. 

Mike Craycraft, founder of the Testicular Cancer Society, commented, “This campaign is a great example of how the clever use of the latest digital tools can blur the line between video content and messaging. The result is a fun and engaging way to teach men how to perform a short and simple self-check, that might just save their life.”