Listen To Your Lungs – The Coughing Billboard
Marie Keating Foundation
Issue 46 | March 2018
Agency
DDFH&B, Dublin
Creative Team
Creative Creative Director Roisin Keown Creative Team Dean Ryan, Adam McKiernan
Production Team
Production Producer Lily O‘Gorman
Other Credits
Other Account Manager Sarah Conlan Planner Derwin Myers Client CEO Marie Keating Foundation Liz Yeates, Senior Communications Manager Edel McCabe
Date
November 2017
Background
In 1998, Marie Keating died from breast-cancer. In commemoration of their mother, the Keating family created the Marie Keating Foundation to raise awareness and provide information about the most common cancers.
In winter, when coughs were commonplace, the Foundation wanted people to be aware that lung cancer could be hiding behind a persistent chesty cough.
Idea
The specially-built outdoor piece used motion detection sensors that detected pedestrians passing by and then audio units grabbed their attention by coughing.
The billboard displayed a seemingly innocent statement, "I had a chesty cough that wouldn't go away. I got checked after three weeks."
When viewers looked closely, the typography revealed an altogether more serious message: "I had cancer".
Similarly, on radio and online, the mention of cancer was deliberately obscured to hammer home the message that the disease could be hiding behind a cough.
Results
Unknown.
Our Thoughts
Around 2,300 Irish people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Apparently, more people die from it in Ireland than from any other cancer.
This poster was created for International Lung Cancer Awareness Month and I should imagine that the brief asked for an idea that would give the Keating Foundation plenty of PR. And I am sure this did the job.
If it gets one person to go and see a doctor and have their cancer diagnosed early, it will be worth it.
On another note, this has been reported as Adam McKiernan's first-ever ad. Not a bad start, Adam. I fear, however, not every job will be so rewarding.