Test-icles: The first campaign ever encouraging men to take a pregnancy test to diagnose potential testicular cancer

Ogilvy Mexico and Ogilvy Health New York in association with Alba Foundation challenge anyone with balls to diagnose potential testicular cancer 

It takes balls to take a pregnancy test, claims the campaign. Ogilvy Mexico and Ogilvy Health New York in association with Alba Foundation launched Test-icles, the first initiative ever to promote early detection of testicular cancer through self-examination using pregnancy tests. 

"If we were to ask men whether they believe that pregnancy tests are only meant for women, the majority would likely answer "Yes". And if we then ask what would happen if a man were to take a pregnancy test, most would say "Nothing at all". Despite this common belief, the truth is that the two are actually very closely related. A simple pregnancy test detects a hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin beta fraction that is secreted during pregnancy and can be found in the urine. However, this hormone is also produced in certain types of testicular cancer. This is significant because the readily available pregnancy test could be lifesaving for many patients" explained Dr. Miguel Angel Alvarez Avitia, a Medical Oncologist and an expert in Genitourinary Cancer at the National Cancer Institute.

Testicular cancer affects more than 3,337 people annually in Mexico. And it is estimated that nearly 10,000 men will develop testicular cancer each year in the United States. What's surprising is that the highest incidence rate is found among people aged 15 to 35. Unfortunately, many cases are detected at advanced stages, which is why it is expected that the number of cases will increase by around 13% in the upcoming years. Why? "Cultural barriers exist in society, with 60% to 90% of the male population avoiding medical appointments due to embarrassment, fear, or just not feeling like they need it. So, we thought about how we can inspire more and more men to overcome any barrier. That’s how we gave life to 'Tano y Nato' to bring a clear, and at the same time, friendly message about testicular cancer", explained Rafael Reina, CCO of Ogilvy Mexico & Miami. 

For Keka Morelle, Chief Creative Officer Ogilvy Latam & Miami: "Testicles was born out of a deep conviction in the power of creativity, research, and science to make a real and positive impact on people's lives. Testicles proves that we can use humor to create great, relevant ideas for very serious matters."

Renata Maia, CCO of Ogilvy Health North America added: "It is so unexpected and brave to ask men to take a pregnancy test. And Test-icles break barriers and is delightfully surprising. That is the power of understanding the science behind the products so we can innovate the way we use them in order to save lives. What we did was create product usage innovation, opening up a whole new method of diagnosis. Because when you make a breakthrough to help with early diagnosis, then you are making healthcare more affordable and also encouraging changing habits in favor of a better quality of life."

"It's important to understand that a positive test result does not necessarily mean 100% that you have testicular cancer, but since it is a significant indication that something is not right with your body, it's crucial to visit a specialist such as a urologist. If you get a negative result, it means that the HCG hormone was not detected. Nevertheless, do not relax your caution. In addition, please consider that if you are taking any hormone treatment this would interfere with pregnancy test results. So, please whatever your situation is, visit your doctor" added Dr. Miguel Angel Alvarez. 

Miryana Pérez Vela, General Director of Alba Foundation, said: "Building alliances between different sectors of society allows us to have a greater impact and reach with initiatives that we have been working on at the Foundation for almost 14 years, intending to raise awareness among the population about the early detection of testicular cancer, a type of cancer that, if detected in its early stages and with the right treatment, has a very good prospect of being cured".

The Test-icles campaign had great exposure in social networks, digital media, and OOH. Content creators also joined in and encouraged their followers to take the test.

For more information:  https://testicles.mx/ and https://fundaciondealba.org/