MSD Belgium works on new cancer-fighting methods, but they’re most effective when doctors can start treatment early. That’s why prevention and early detection remain indispensable. Every year we see breast cancer campaigns that always repeat the same thing: "check your breasts". Yet the problem is that 69% of Belgian women don’t do this regularly. That’s why MSD Belgium launched Day 3: a simple trick that turns every 3rd day of the month into a reminder to check your breasts. So, instead of grabbing attention for one moment we found a way to create a monthly habit for women.

MSD Belgium works on new cancer-fighting methods, but they’re most effective when doctors can start treatment early. That’s why prevention and early detection remain indispensable. Every year we see breast cancer campaigns that always repeat the same thing: "check your breasts". Yet the problem is that 69% of Belgian women don’t do this regularly. That’s why MSD Belgium launched Day 3: a simple trick that turns every 3rd day of the month into a reminder to check your breasts. So, instead of grabbing attention for one moment we found a way to create a monthly habit for women.

Breast cancer campaigns are an annual occurrence, consistently advocating for the same message: "examine your breasts". However, despite this effort, a staggering 69% of Belgian women do not perform this check frequently. As a solution to this issue, MSD Belgium initiated Day 3, a straightforward approach that designates every third day of the month as a reminder to conduct a breast examination. This innovative strategy establishes a monthly routine for women rather than fleeting moments of attention.

Day 3 doesn’t tell women to check their breasts, it tells them when to do it and how. The simple mnemonic reminds women every third day of the month to do a self-check in 3 simple steps. The different fonts and colours used, visualized various skin colours and shapes of breasts. Typography became not only the visualization, but the idea itself.

This campaign used the power of a simple visual mnemonic to draw people's attention to the issue of breast cancer and the importance of regular self-examination. This approach has the potential to break through the noise of daily life and make a lasting impression on the target audience. Posters with our iconic mnemonic popped up in clinics and examination rooms all over Belgium. Best of all, the number 3 is a symbol that works in every language. After the success MSD decided to launch Day 3 in different countries all over Europe.