FP7 Beirut Goes 'Bald For You' in Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

In Lebanon, breast cancer is the second most prevalent cause of death among women. Despite the existence of an effective medical system that allows for early detection, more than 70% of women do not get themselves checked.

The reason: 64% of women surveyed are afraid to find out if they have breast cancer, owing to the irrational fear of the consequences that they will face because of the treatment. One of the most prominent fears being going bald as a side effect of cancer treatments. In a country where women are significantly more conscious of their appearance (especially their hair) than other Middle Eastern countries, losing one’s hair is bad; but not getting self checked for signs of breast cancer is worse.

So, when Murr Television, a leading media station in Lebanon, wanted to encourage early detection, through a hand-raising campaign, one woman stood out - Francoise Freifer. And through a completely unscripted video intervention, McCann's FP7 Beirut got her to go bald for the most important woman in her life…

Through “I’m going bald, so you don’t have to”, Francoise invited women and men viewing the video (on her social networks as well as on Murr Television’s social media channels) to go bald for the women in their lives and make a statement to women about the importance of regular checks, so that they didn’t have to suffer the agony of breast cancer.

It was the first time in the region that shaving one's head was used as a nationwide calling for prevention than simply in solidarity like many other brands and people have done before. The response was instant as men and women took the idea on. It triggered conversations around the importance of early detection. In a country with a total population of 4.5 million, the videos have been viewed by over 1.5 million people (all organic).

Ambient stickers placed in hair salons as well as pop-up salons across Lebanon, invited women and men in Lebanon to go bald, positively provoking the women in their lives to get themselves checked, as well as donate their hair to NGOs to create wigs for breast cancer patients.