See How Ogilvy Brasil Trained Tattooists To Spot Skin Cancer

Ogilvy Brasil has created a new action to increase general awareness that early diagnostic is key to the successful treatment for cancer, including the skin variety. Enlisting in this effort are tattooists of the most important studios in Sao Paulo and Rio. The campaign is called ‘Tattoo Skin Cancer Check’, and was created with the support of Rio de Janeiro-based sunscreen brand Sol de Janeiro, targeting the young.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer and accounts for over fifty percent of cancer diagnostics. The Brazilian National Cancer Institute estimates annual numbers of approximately 180 thousand new cancer cases in Brazil (2014), including melanoma and non-melanoma.

Over 450 tattooists have attended lectures given by surgical oncologist João Duprat Neto. The physician is also director at Skin Cancer and Dermatology Department at A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, which has provided all technical consulting to the project. The institute is a world reference in cancer prevention, treatment, education, and research.

‘Our purpose was to give professional tattooists some basic knowledge to help them interpret lesions on their clients’ skin. We then introduced the points behind what we call the ABCD rule, that is, Asymmetry, Border Irregularity, Color (a number of colors and shades), and Diameter (greater than five millimeters, growing and shrinking)’, reports the specialist.