1 in 250 men will develop testicular cancer during their lifetime. Early detection is crucial, but most men tend to avoid traditional self-check tutorials – they're generally dull. But we recognized a different kind of "ball-focused" content men love engaging with: football. Through YouTube mid-rolls cleverly inserted into free kick highlights and partnerships with hilarious YouTube livestreamers and the world's biggest sports radio station, Talksport, we seamlessly transformed commentary of free kick setups – a moment when defenders grab their groins – into wittily-scripted, engaging self-check tips. Our culturally-relevant, humorous 360° activation drove awareness to a critical men's health issue.

For The Testicular Cancer Society, grabbing the attention of young men (15-35), the age group most at risk, is never an easy challenge, especially during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, a period already saturated with messages from competing charities. The solution? Leverage cultural relevance with young men's favorite sport football (soccer) to talk about men's balls.

We partnered with top football watchalong channels, who don't have the rights to show the games live on their channels but can use their voices to narrate them - plus many fans prefer to listen to their commentary for their club bias while watching TV. We also partnered with the world's biggest sports radio station, Talksport, during live commentary (both usually uninterrupted and free to air, unlike TV). Here, during free kick moments, when men instinctively shield their groins in the wall, they both seamlessly weaved humorous self-examination education into a relatable scenario for many men within the most popular sport in the world in the style of classic commentators.

For extra impact, we launched our campaign during a European week featuring powerhouses Liverpool FC and Manchester City, guaranteeing a captive audience of men worldwide listening attentively to the games. This culturally-savvy, market-driven approach delivered a serious message in an informative, engaging, and humorous way. It cut through the noise, reaching the target demographic directly when they're most receptive, as they cannot miss a free kick in a goal-scoring area: young men most susceptible to testicular cancer, the most common form in their age group.

An estimated 1 in 250 men will face testicular cancer in their lifetimes. Early detection is crucial for a high survival rate, which makes self-checks vital. However, traditional awareness campaigns often fail to resonate with the men most at risk aged 15-35.

Our research proved humor's effectiveness in Testicular Cancer Awareness messaging. To capitalize on this, we developed a disruptive and witty campaign to cut through the noise during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. Our goal: get young men to learn how to perform self-checks through content that would grab their attention.

Leveraging the power of young men worldwide's favorite sport – football (soccer), we strategically placed self-check mid-roll ads within free kick highlights - and live match commentary. During free kick moments, where defenders hold their groins, we unexpectedly transformed that moment into a playfully witty self-check tutorial, grabbing attention and delivering a timely, crucial message that resonated with men.

Traditional self-check messaging is often ignored by young men, who find it dull. To break through the noise, the "Highlight Your Balls" campaign got creative. Recognizing young men's global obsession with football, the campaign cleverly leveraged this cultural phenomenon by hijacking a relatable in-game moment with self-check information: defenders instinctively grabbing their groins during free kicks. This natural action mirrored the self-examination young men need to perform. Informative yet humorous mid-roll ads popped up during viral YouTube free kick highlights, while popular YouTube commentators wove self-check instructions into their live commentary during these moments. Even the world's biggest sports radio station got involved, running a self-check tutorial on Talksport during a crucial European football match featuring powerhouse Liverpool FC.

By understanding how young men consume content and using humor to make our message engaging, the campaign delivered a serious message in a way that resonated with young men worldwide.

During Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, our month-long awareness campaign targeted young men aged 15-35, the demographic most susceptible to this form of cancer. In recognition of their existing content consumption habits and passion for football, the campaign adopted a multi-channel approach tailored to football content. We communicated engaging self-check tips seamlessly integrated into free kick content, capitalizing on moments when defenders instinctively grab their groins. Informative and humorous self-check tutorials were strategically placed as mid-roll advertisements within popular YouTube free kick highlight videos. Additionally, collaborations with prominent YouTube live streamers secured the inclusion of our message during live match free kicks. Finally, the campaign secured placement of a self-check tutorial during commentary of a free kick on Talksport, the world's leading global sports radio station, during a high-profile Liverpool FC European match. This strategic use of culturally relevant placements aimed to maximize engagement and awareness during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month.

The campaign's multi-channel approach shattered geographical barriers, reaching young men worldwide. Informative yet humorous self-check tutorials were transformed into multi-lingual mid-roll ads, strategically placed within viral YouTube free kick highlights. Collaborations with popular YouTube live streamers seamlessly wove the message into their live commentary during free kicks of European cup matches. Talksport radio, the world’s biggest sports radio station aired a self-check tutorial timed with a free kick moment during a crucial European football match featuring powerhouse Liverpool FC.

Testicular Cancer Awareness Month (April) maximised the campaign's impact. Specific dates for video placements, live collaborations, and the Talksport broadcast were meticulously chosen to align strategically with the football calendar.

This multi-channel approach ensured global reach, not just geographically, but also culturally. By seamlessly integrating the message into existing content habits and capitalizing on free kicks, a universally relatable moment in football, our campaign resonated deeply with a global audience.

The campaign demonstrated impressive growth across various channels: On YouTube, it achieved 439,823 impressions and a 43.26% view-through rate, with 190,281 completed views, highlighting the content's strong appeal. User acquisition increased by 30%, supported by significant gains in direct traffic, organic search, referral traffic, and organic social interactions. Engagement soared by 92%, while organic video performance also saw substantial gains. Additionally, TV and audio platforms expanded reach with 73,000 views and 1.3 million listeners, respectively, resonating particularly with the key demographic of 18-35-year-olds. Donations for the Testicular Cancer Society surged, showing a 338% increase, which significantly supported the cause. The 'Highlight Your Balls' campaign amassed a total of 42 million impressions, significantly boosting awareness, engagement, and brand perception across key demographics.

The Testicular Cancer Society's 2023 research paper confirmed humor's effectiveness in testicular cancer messaging. However, many Testicular Cancer campaigns fall short with childish jokes, turning the topic into a joke itself, which hinders behavior change.

We knew humor was key, but we had to be smart about it. By placing self-check education within the context of exciting football commentary during free kicks, a familiar moment for men where players also hold their groins, we delivered witty scripts in classic commentator style. This unexpected twist grabbed attention, delivered our message, and got men chuckling and checking.

In essence, the humor came from the surprise of turning a traditionally "serious" topic (self-checks) into a playful and informative segment within the commentary of young men's favorite sport. This smart, unexpected and humorous twist not only made the message more memorable but also bypassed the resistance often associated with traditional Testicular Cancer awareness campaigns.