Detect Cancer Earlier Marketing Campaign: Evaluation Report 2024/2025

10. Other marketing channels and activity

PR

PR was activated to generate media coverage in newspapers and online media channels, as well as create additional social media content. Case studies and clinicians were used to bring a human voice to the campaign and deliver the early detection message through authentic voices.

Timing of the PR aligned with the two phases of the campaign in August/September 2024 and March 2025.

Running across both phases was a collaboration with early morning radio presenter Des Clarke, which helped generate new and engaging social content. In phase three he took to the streets of Glasgow to speak to the public about the importance of early detection. In phase four he hosted the Early Bird Breakfast Club which brought together people who are living well after cancer treatment and clinical experts.

Community roadshow

A roadshow took place in September over nine days at six shopping centres in Stirling, Aberdeen, Inverness, Elgin, Dumfries and Dundee. In March, this activity was extended by a further 16 days, working with Asda stores in eight locations (Clydebank, Govan, Parkhead, Coatbridge, Dunfermline, Dundee, Alloa, Stenhousemuir).

Members of the public from these target communities were invited to meet the Early Birds from the advert and have in-depth conversations with roadshow staff about early detection. The approachable nature of the stand and staff set a warm tone and created an environment where members of the public felt comfortable discussing the sensitive subject matter.

At the stand, members of the public could find out more about possible symptoms of cancer using the online symptom checker via an iPad, and where appropriate, were prompted to contact their GP practice or dentist.

“We’d spoken with someone yesterday, who is a security guard in the nearby shopping centre. She told us she had a lump in her neck, but she also had existing thyroid problems, so she was putting it down to that. We encouraged her to call her GP Practice. She came back today to tell us she’d called the practice first thing and has an appointment for 10.30am.” -Event Manager

Information leaflets were also distributed, allowing people to read and retain the key messages following their visit to the stand.

“A woman came back this morning that we’d spoken with yesterday. She wanted to tell us that she’s made a dental appointment now. She’d been telling us she had what appeared to be an ulcer that would fill and drain and that it had been going on for a couple of months now.” -Event Manager

Partnerships

Partnerships provide a cost effective way to extend the reach of the Be the Early Bird campaign. To support this, a stakeholder toolkit was created and distributed at launch to relevant public and third sector contacts. This gave stakeholders the campaign background, as well as new and existing campaign material they could share across their own channels to extend its reach.

The main campaign leaflet was also available in nine languages and alternative formats including BSL, large print, easy read, audio MP3 and braille, and distributed to stakeholders for onward dissemination.

For phase four:

• materials were developed for and distributed to the dental sector,
• posters were distributed for display in GP practices, libraries, community centres, leisure centres and select pubs.

Website

The campaign’s main aim was to drive people to contact their GP practice or dentist if they had unusual, persistent symptoms that could be cancer. However the campaign also signposted to getcheckedearly.org for more information, case studies and to access the online symptom checker.