Every third day, a woman dies from cervical cancer in Denmark. “Best Friends for Life” is an initiative launched by The Danish Cancer Society with the purpose of achieving a high participation rate in a free HPV-vaccine program for women aged 20-27.

An initial study showed that young women didn’t perceive the vaccine as acutely important. Growing up and building identity is tricky and life is full of risks. However, dying of cancer is not topping the list. Being alone and friendless is.

Based on these qualitative insights we gave the purpose of the vaccine a social twist: The first vaccine against cancer is not about avoiding death. It is about celebrating life and friendship.

We challenged the main reasons for not taking the vaccine by turning it into a social happening: we’re doing it together - and for each other.

This social focus was mirrored in our media choice. Using Facebook as a pivot, we focused less on cancer information and more on providing means for girl friends to connect and show care for one another.

The outcome is that 74% of all Danish women in the targeted age group either have been vaccinated or are in the process of doing so. Furthermore, we have achieved the world’s highest vaccination rate in a free HPV vaccination program targeted young women.

We began by affiliating with the target audience’s favourite:

• Television shows

• Consumer to consumer fashion sties

• Blogs

• Music streaming services

• Live events

• Chat forums

• Digital (banners, text, video, PR), May 20th 2013: Facebook.com, Trendsales.dk, Msn.dk, TV3 Play, Google Display, Egmont Serieforlaget, Benjamin Media, Aller Internet

• Mobile (banners), May 20th 2013: Adquota, Quiz Battle

• Cinema (1 spot), May 20th 2013: Danish Commercials

• TV (1 spot), June 6th 2013: TV2, Viasat, SBS, TLC, DR

We operated with a channel hierarchy showing the various steps in the process. The weight on "the grand narrative" versus "the mini-narrative" moves from mass media over the network media for one to one dialogues with doctors and ambassadors.

"The grand narrative" addressed primarily in mass communications and tactical media including PR. "The mini-narrative" takes up most of tactical media as Facebook, tools and ambassadors.

The campaign has reached an extremely high coverage of 95% of the target group. 91% of these recognize the campaign and almost everyone of these (99%) understands the message.

The figure shows that almost 74% of the target group have been vaccinated or are in the process of doing so. We have achieved the world’s highest vaccination rate in a free HPV vaccination program targeted young women.