Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in India and accounts for over 25% of all cancers in women. While early detection can increase the survival rate drastically, women still avoid checking themselves for early signs of the disease. They face a lot of inhibitions when it comes to their bodies, particularly their breasts. Something about touching their breasts makes them feel uncomfortable and awkward. In such a situation, how do you get more women to examine themselves without feeling uptight or self-conscious?

Background

Lux has been India’s trusted soap brand for 90 years. While it has always encouraged women to embrace their beauty, it also cares about their physical well-being. Hence, it was only a matter of time before Lux did something to raise awareness for one of the biggest health concerns affecting Indian women today: breast cancer. In fact, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and accounts for over 25% of all cancers. However, early detection can increase the survival rate drastically. Unfortunately, 75% women shy away from checking themselves. So, Lux decided to raise awareness about breast health and early detection, and get more women to examine themselves regularly.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

In a society where it is socially frowned upon women to talk openly about their bodies or breast health, our objective was to get them to feel uninhibited about touching and examining themselves. We knew words and warnings wouldn’t be enough to do the job, so we did something more fundamental instead. We changed our product. The iconic Lux soap for the very first time was redesigned with a visible lump on it. ‘The Soap with a Lump’ is a purposeful product innovation that elevates both form and function. In the privacy of their bathroom, when women are alone and uninhibited, the soap encourages them to check their breasts for any lumps or deformities. The lump on the soap does not disintegrate with use until the very end, serving as a daily reminder for self-examination. A soap that keeps you clean and beautiful, can also help save your life.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

An alarming number of breast cancer cases in India are undetected until it is too late. We realized that despite numerous awareness campaigns, there is no change in women’s behavior because words alone have a short-term impact. We wanted to change women’s attitude towards self-examination permanently. ‘The Soap with a Lump’ is a product innovation that elevates form and function. It acts as a trigger for women to check themselves when they are uninhibited: in the privacy of their bathrooms. The soap has the strength to effectively remind them to check themselves, initiating a long-term change in behavior. The soap was launched through screening camps in Maharashtra organized by the Indian Cancer Society. With the help of their knowledge, we created flyers with information about self-examination. We also included a helpline number that women could call in case of questions.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

To ensure that women checked themselves regularly, Lux used the sense of touch, and the shape of its product to initiate self-examination. ‘The Soap with a Lump’ was designed to be placed in the most intimate setting of the shower, where every woman can inspect herself without hesitation. Lux, in collaboration with the Indian Cancer Society, introduced ‘The Soap with a Lump’ through screening camps in Maharashtra. Along with the soaps, we distributed flyers containing information about self-examination and early detection, as well as a helpline number to ICS. Additionally, we put up posters at the camps about the importance of checking yourself. Introducing the soaps at screening camps allowed us to interact with women who were open to the idea of learning more about self-examination.

List the results (30% of vote)

‘The Soap with a Lump’ in collaboration with the Indian Cancer Society (ICS) was never meant to be used for retail. So, the campaign didn’t have a direct impact on the brand’s revenue or sales. It was first distributed to women through ICS screening camps in Maharashtra. The campaign is now being extended across India and will be distributed through awareness camps, in leading hospitals, and through ICS community programs. Within 24 hours of its launch, ‘The Soap with a Lump’ garnered 86,687 impressions with a global reach of 9.4 million on social media. It caught the attention of international media, global marketeers, and several online publications. Within a month, the Indian Cancer Society helpline saw a 27% increase in enquiries about breast awareness and health from women. ‘The Soap with a Lump’ has also inspired many global marketeers to reach out to Lux for possible future collaborations.

Please tell us about the social behaviour that inspired the work

It’s difficult to openly talk to women in India about breast health. A patriarchal society burdens them with a sense of shame and guilt for making themselves priority. Also something about touching your breasts makes women feel inhibited and uncomfortable. This has led to an increasing number of undetected breast cancer cases. Lux, India’s popular beauty soap, found a way to overcome this hesitation and encouraged women to examine themselves. In the privacy of their bathroom, ‘The Soap with a lump’ acted as a powerful trigger for self-examination. Thereby enabling early detection.