Peel the banana, play the zambomba, polish the saber… Masturbation has a thousand names and many of them are included in the new campaign by Fuck Cancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against the disease and supporting patients. With the help of the VML Health agency, it breaks the usual communication codes and relies on irreverent humor to raise awareness among citizens of the importance of early detection and prevention.
To do this, he has created “Beat Cancer Off”, a fun song based on a scientific finding: men who ejaculate 21 or more times a month can significantly reduce their risk of suffering from prostate cancer. Thus, the theme compiles more than a dozen euphemisms to refer to masturbation, which have also been represented using various aesthetics, from illustration to stop motion.
The animated short film has been directed by Gustavo Leal and Faga Melo through the production company Dirty Work, and the soundtrack created by the Jamute studio.
The association urges men to fight cancer by masturbating more frequently. It is based on the conclusions of the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS), supported by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health; and in the advice of Dr. Lorelei Mucci, who has helped turn the findings into a relatable conversation for men and translate science into culture.
The tone of the campaign seeks to address a challenge in the healthcare sector, the lack of conversation around prostate health. Through humor, music and illustration, Fuck Cancer moves away from traditional communications, often too clinical or alarming, to launch a more accessible and entertaining message that invites men to “take prevention into their own hands.” It also encourages regular consultation and evaluation with a doctor.
Along with the song, the organization has created a dedicated website that collects information of interest regarding the relationship between masturbation and the prevention of prostate cancer. It also includes different illustrations with the euphemisms cited in the piece, and invites you to share them on social networks to inspire men to ejaculate 21 times a month to reduce the chances of developing the disease.
On the other hand, Fuck Cancer has created an application for smart watches, called “Beat Cancer Off Tracker App”, which monitors and counts masturbation sessions throughout the month and sends reminders in case the proposed 21 masturbations are not achieved. It is available in the App Store and its motivation is to normalize the act to integrate it into the users’ health and well-being routine.
In addition, the agency explains that the campaign includes collaboration with content creators and influencers, who have been sent boxes of limited edition tissues, numbered from 1 to 21, to remember the masturbation sessions necessary to enhance prevention. A collaboration is also being developed with Pair of Thieves to create a pair of socks with the number 21 and thus turn the garment into a topic of conversation and a channel of visibility for the cause.
More info.: Beat Cancer Off
