The number of women attending smear tests in the UK is sadly falling every year. As part of a campaign refresh, Middlesbrough Council wanted encourage women to attend routine screening appointments, and came to The Creative Alchemist for help. Through thought provoking workshops, we developed the idea of targeting local hairdressers and beauty salons within the central ward of Middlesbrough to promote the importance of cervical screening to their customers with the 'Salons for Screening' campaign.
We set out objectives to attract a minimum of 30 salons to take part in the campaign, as well as encouraging these salons to engage with the campaign on social media and improving on our previous digital campaign which recorded more than 22,000 views and 575 hits to website in just two weeks. Using Facebook as a key tool in the promotion of the campaign allowed us to reach previously untapped audiences in a cost effective way, whilst also encouraging discussions between the customers sharing their own experiences.
After signing up the salons, merchandise packs were sent out which included A4 posters, A5 leaflets, appointment cards, wobblers to be placed on mirrors, shelves and till points and a lifestyle magazine – ‘Beautiful’ – which includes general beauty articles and tips, and information on cervical screening. We also included some very inspiring stories from salons within the central ward of Middlesbrough, who had in some way been affected by cervical cancer.
The campaign is now in it's fifth season, each with new creatives and a new magazine developed to complement the four seasons throughout the year. Since launch, the number of cervical screening appointments has steadily risen in Middlesbrough, and the campaign recently picked up a prestigious award at the 2018 Jo's Trust Cervical Screening Awards, which recognise and reward the UK's best local cervical screening campaigns.