Creative Concepts

Attachment D

Creative Concepts Brief

In focus group testing, the Screen for Life campaign plans to show participants creative concepts that encourage appropriate screening for colorectal cancer. CDC plans to test no more than six TV creative concepts and four print concepts in each focus group. The concepts will include a variety of appeals: testimonial, informational, and metaphorical. At least two weeks will be allotted between each study market to allow time to revise existing concepts, prepare new concepts in response to participant feedback, and determine which, if any, concepts should be dropped from testing. Generally, fewer concepts will be tested in each subsequent market. Over time and from one city to the next, less promising concepts will be discarded and more discussion time will be allotted to refining the most promising concepts.

All concepts will include basic Screen for Life messaging:

• Screening for colorectal cancer should begin at age 50.

• Screening helps prevent colorectal cancer.

• There are several screening test options.

• Screening for colorectal cancer saves lives.

• If you’re 50 or older, talk to your doctor and get screened.

Using a storyboard or animatics, the participants will be presented with a visual representation of what the ad would look like, along with a soundtrack, to simulate produced advertisements, without having to incur the high cost of filming and production. Prior to showing the animatics, the focus group moderator will explain the unfinished nature of the advertisements and emphasize that any concept, if produced, would include moving video, as well as professional actors.

Following are the creative concepts we plan to test.

Concept #1

This concept is set in a home, where a woman is sitting on her sofa, and her dog is sitting right in front of her looking at her.

The dog barks and tilts her head

The woman talks to herself, as if responding to the dog,

“I know I need to do it. Next month.”

The dog then barks sharply.

The woman considers this and says,

“You’re right, I shouldn’t wait.” (The woman looks up a phone number, and picks up the phone to dial) all the while talking to her dog.

The woman says:

“I’m 50 – can you believe it?!!…how old is that in dog years?”

The dog barks again.

The woman says to the dog:

“See, I’m calling the doctor. Shhhh.”

She says to the person on the phone… “I want to come in to see about getting screened for colorectal cancer.”

As she writes down appointment info, she says: “Okay, thanks…I’ll be there.”

She hangs up and plays with the dog…

Voiceover from off-screen narrator:

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S. But it can be prevented. Screening helps find polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Don’t wait for symptoms…polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms. If you’re over 50…

Dog barks loudly, interrupting the voice-over narration for a second.

Narrator continues: …get screened!

CUT TO TITLE CARD with HHS, CDC, and Screen for Life logos and contact info.

Narrator voiceover: Screening Saves Lives.

Concept 2.

A 50-something woman is putting on make-up in her bathroom mirror. She sees her husband, also 50-something, in the reflection of the mirror walking by.

Man: Honey, did you drop off my dry cleaning?

Woman: I’ll do it later

The husband is sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper, when his wife walks in and pours coffee into to-go cup. She pauses and turns to her husband.

Woman: Remember…it’s time to take the car in for an oil change.

Man nods ‘yes’: I’ll do it later.

Woman kisses him, and as she heads for the door, she turns to him and says.

Woman: And please make that appointment with the doctor about getting screened for colorectal cancer. I’ll see you for dinner?

Man says: Yes- see you later.

He puts down his paper as his wife closes the door behind her. He immediately gets up and picks up the phone to make an appointment. He dials, then listens and writes down appointment information on a calendar.

ANNOUNCER VOICEOVER: There are some things you can put off doing, but if you’re 50 or older, getting screened for colorectal cancer isn’t one of them. Screening helps find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. This is one cancer you can prevent!

Screen for Life logo and website appear on screen.

If you’re 50 or older, don’t wait. Talk to your doctor about which screening test is right for you. And get screened – Screening saves lives!

Concept 3.

This concept features a real woman – not an actress – telling the story of what happened to her husband and family. It is based on what she has shared about her husband’s death from colon cancer. (will test for video and print ads)

Claudia: John was an amazing husband and father and I miss him so much each and every day.

(Cut in family photos and videos, as appropriate)

Claudia: When John turned 50, I reminded him to get his physical and to get checked for colorectal cancer.

That year and every year after, he got his physical, but no colorectal cancer screening test.

We had these conversations dozens of times. “Do it for the kids,” I’d say. Or, “How would you feel if I didn’t get my mammogram?” He was a smart man…but he didn’t do it.

Eight years later, he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

Colorectal cancer is preventable…screening helps find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. And screening can find this cancer early, when treatment can be very effective. But John simply didn’t get screened.

I’m tell you this so you can avoid what my family has gone through. When John’s doctor told him nothing more could be done, John said, “I should have gotten that colonoscopy.” How could we not think that?

Please talk to your doctor about which colorectal cancer screening test is right for you. Screening really does save lives. It might have made all the difference to my family.

End on Screen for Life graphic and information – including logo and web address and phone number

Concept 4. Do Over

This concept ensures diversity among talent. (will test for video and print ads)

50ish woman parallel parks badly, pulls out and does it again.

40ish man rearranges furniture, realizes sofa is blocking a bookshelf…he moves it till he’s satisfied.

50-something woman gets coffee, spills it. The barista gives her a new cup of coffee, with a smile. Woman looks up at camera.

WOMAN 1: You can get a do-over for so many things, but here’s the do-over I really wish I had…

Cut to man in living room who looks directly at camera.

MAN: I wish I could go back in time to be more forceful, more insistent, when I talked to my dad

Cut to woman in Parked car. She Looks into camera from DRIVER’S seat.

WOMAN 2: My husband

Cut to woman in coffee shop.

WOMAN 1: My Sister. About getting screened for colorectal cancer. She didn’t want to get screened because she didn’t have symptoms,

MAN: It didn’t run in our family.

WOMAN 2: My husband? He just refused. He had so many excuses. And I didn’t push it.

WOMAN 1: Now I know there are several screening test options. And that polyps and colorectal cancer don’t always cause symptoms at first.

MAN: I know that screening finds precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. You can prevent colorectal cancer.

WOMAN 2: I’ve learned that men and women should start getting screened at 50. It’s too late for my husband.

WOMAN 1: My sister

MAN: My father. But you can be my do-over.

WOMAN 2: Please, if you’re 50 or older, do it

WOMAN 1: Get screened for colorectal cancer.

Screen for Life logo and website appear on screen.

MAN (Off Camera VO): Screening Saves Lives.

Concept 5.

Opens on a man talking to the camera.

Man says: Most of us dream about retirement…what we’ll do when we stop working. But I’m not going to stop being active.

Woman talks to camera: Neither will I!

Man on camera: We still have a lot to do…

Woman: Enjoy our grandchildren

Man: Travel with the family

Woman: Walk in the park.

Man: Volunteer at the Y.

Woman: Go to more movies

Man: Get the yard in shape

Woman….We don’t want to stop enjoying life.

Man and woman together. Woman says: that’s why we got tested for colorectal cancer.

Man: if you could prevent cancer, why wouldn’t you? Screening helps prevent colorectal cancer.

Woman: Screening finds precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.

Man: So it was a no-brainer….don’t want to get colon cancer? Get screened!

Woman: If you’re 50 or older, it’s time. Get screened.

Man: Ask your doctor which test is right for you.

Woman: And get screened

Man: So you can enjoy the retirement you’ve earned!

Narrator speaks over Screen for Life and information graphic: Screening Saves Lives

Concept 6.

(will test for video and print ads)

We see a man who is in his 50s. He is sitting in his living room. His wife is also there, and there are photos on the wall or on tables.

The man says: You know - I am a very, very lucky guy. One day my wife convinced me to get screened for colorectal cancer. I’m so glad she did.

The woman says: They found precancerous polyps and they removed them before they turned into cancer.

The man says: Thanks to that, today I'm able to...

Cut to a series of photos illustrating what the man is saying.

Hug my grandchildren.

Enjoy family celebrations...

Go to a game with my friends...

Talk every day with my mother...

Cook with my wife...

Travel with the family...

Go fishing...

Go to the movies...

We see the man and woman on the sofa: She says:

And so many other things.

The man says:

The truth is... I'm a very lucky guy.

An announcer says (off-screen) as we see the Screen for Life logo and HHS/CDC logos and web address and 1-800-CDC-INFO

Voiceover: Screening tests can prevent colorectal cancer…so if you’re 50 or older talk to your doctor and ask which test is right for you.

Cut to man talking to camera, he is hugging his wife.

You can be as lucky as I am. Get screened!

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