Havas Chicago launched an attention-grabbing effort for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, inviting passersby to come play with boobs. In short, the agency filled a room with a bunch of circular 3-foot balloons designed to look like breasts.
“This installation was designed to get a reaction,” says Havas Chicago group creative director Ecole Weinstein told AdFreak. “We wanted to do something bold and fun—using our creativity to convey a powerful message. If we can remind just one more woman or man to check themselves once a month, we’ve been successful.”
Windows outside the installation invite viewers to partake in some boob-filled fun with brightly colored text reading “BOOBS” and the message “Play with ours. Check yours.” There’s also a series of nicknames for breasts cheerfully displayed on the window, including “headlights,” “honkers,” “funbags,” “bazoombas,” “gazongas” and even “tig ol’ bitties.”
Once inside, there are a series of reminders to “Check Yo’ Self” regularly, as well as instructions for how to perform a self breast exam. Of course, there’s also a social extension through the hashtag “#CheckYoSelf.” For every use of the hashtag, the agency will make a donation to cancer charities The Pink Agenda and FAB-U-WISH.
Obviously cancer of any kind is a horrible thing and all efforts working toward improved treatment are very important.
Given this fact, it is worth noting that Havas has worked with tobacco company R.J. Reynolds since winning creative duties in late 2014, that the agency created a dedicated unit for what is one of its Chicago office’s largest clients, and that its key audience is young people. Of course we understand why they have consistently refused to talk about this. But that doesn’t make it any less true.