Photos for Life
Rak’n’Roll Win Your Life Foundation!
Issue 34 | March 2015
Agency
Isobar Poland
Creative Team
Managing Creative Director Maciej Nowicki Senior Copywriter Jan Cieslar Senior Art Director Rafal Rys Graphic Designers Adam Zawiasinski Bartlomiej Bednarski
Production Team
Production SHOOTME Photography & Production Photographers Pawel Fabjanski Lukasz Zietek Jacek Poremba Karol Grygoruk
Other Credits
Programmer Piotr Budek Account Manager Aleksandra Matuszewska Integrated Director Ewa Rzewuska-Wolska Senior PR Specialist Monika Witon
Date
October 2014
Background
In Poland cancer was still a taboo. But perhaps that would change if people knew that over 60% of cancer victims actually recover from the illness.
That was the message the Rak'n'Roll Win Your Life Foundation wanted to get across, that cancer was beatable.
Idea
To change how society saw cancer, the idea was to start up a business which used victims of the disease. The world's first charitable photo library was created, Photos for Life, in which all the stock shots featured cancer patients and survivors.
The initiative set out to show that people with cancer were people who loved life every bit as much as anyone else.
Top commercial photographers in Poland snapped cancer victims for seven different categories, such as: Family, Friendship, Career, Sport.
As with any photo library, the photos could be bought online for as little as $75. All profits went to support those cancer patients still undergoing treatment.
Results
The campaign generated over $500,000 in earned media.
Over 1,500 photos were sold to clients, among them major international brands such as Ikea and Men's Health. Other results aren't available yet.
Our Thoughts
This approach, creating a product which both raises awareness of an organisation’s aims and raises funds for it, is something Directory has seen before. Jung von Matt created a brand of milk to help sell the Dortmund Concert Hall and Clemenger BBDO created a scent for people to buy in support of Guide Dogs Australia.
Selling photos of healthy-looking cancer victims is a great example of how focused targeting (to art directors and designers) can allow you to reach a far wider audience at very little cost. It is also a great example of a charity communicating by doing as opposed to by saying. Brands might learn a thing or two from this case study from Isobar.