Yorkshire Cancer Research
The Cause
To raise awareness of testicular cancer amongst young male football fans.
The client
The UK’s largest regional research charity.
What we did
Clair Challenor-Chadwick and DEXTER Press and PR set up a testicular cancer clinic, staffed by GPs, prior to a Leeds United game at Elland Road.
The use of inside knowledge
A “trial run” three days before Saturday’s match made the story available to media outlets who operate a skeleton staff at weekends.
Why the story worked
Contrast. Young males hate discussing personal medical matters. A match was the last place they expected to be confronted by these issues. By having a “trial run” we made it easy for the media to cover the story.
The result
Great coverage of a difficult issue.
For example
Sky Sports News ran a tasteful TV package each hour for a day.
Other coverage
BBC Radio Leeds’ male presenter checked out “on air” by medical experts. Yorkshire Radio, Leeds United TV, The Yorkshire Post, The Yorkshire Evening Post.
And
More than 80 male fans, some of whom were found to have “abnormalities”, were checked out by the medical team.
Feedback
“This event gave our Leeds United campaign outstanding media coverage. What a result!”
Elaine King – Chief Executive, Yorkshire Cancer Research.
“A difficult story, sensitively handled, that fully merited the coverage it received.”
Alan Mitchell – Content Editor, Sky Sports News.
