Winner
Real Talk: It’s Time To Get Real About Prostate Cancer
Summary of work
As many as 1 in 4 Black men will develop prostate cancer and are twice as likely to die from it as white men. Despite this, many are unaware. A cross-community collaborative effort, the Real Talk campaign aimed to change this. With support from Ipsen, Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) created the campaign to end the stigma around prostate cancer, encouraging more Black men to get tested to save lives. PCR consulted a Black community ‘panel’ comprised of 30 Black people and 90TEN delivered the communications campaign. This centred around relatable, humorous video content, supported by creative agency Rhodium, featuring influencers like comedian Aurie Styla and former Premier League player Clinton Morrison. The multi-channel campaign gained widespread coverage in national, broadcast, and Black community media, and engaged audiences on social media, sparking open conversations about the life-saving potential of the PSA blood test. The campaign launch saw the second highest peak of 2024 for online search about prostate cancer and the PSA test. Real Talk also strengthened PCR’s advocacy for race equity, including calls for a national screening programme for high-risk groups, including Black men. This is currently under review by the UK National Screening Committee.
Judges’ comments
“Real Talk” was a standout example of collaboration and partnership and how it can have a significant impact. This project targeted a critical healthcare issue, especially around equity and the project was well thought through, with a robust methodology and significant success/ impact measured! It brought honesty and humour to a serious topic and built genuine trust in the Black community. The collaboration spanned every level, from planning to policy implementation. The results show clear action and long-term promise for better awareness and screening.
