Colon cancer awareness has reached bars, cafes and cultural spaces in Georgia. The “Weird Looking Stools” campaign, created by the Chemistry agency together with Georgia CORE (Center for Oncology Research & Education), uses art and design as a vehicle to generate uncomfortable but necessary conversations: the symptoms of colorectal cancer.
The designs are by Julian Scalia, art director on films in the Marvel universe.
The proposal materializes in a series of unique stools designed by Julian Scalia, artist and art director in numerous films in the Marvel universe, which visually represent the most common warning signs of colon cancer: thin stools, bleeding, abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss, among others. Each stool acts as a conversation piece and, at the same time, an access point to information: next to each one is a QR code that directs to the official campaign site, where resources on screening, early diagnosis and warning signs are offered.
“We wanted to generate a visceral reaction in a familiar environment. If you see something strange in the bar, you will wonder why it is there, and that opens the door to talking about what many avoid”explains the Chemistry team.
From design to community impact
The “Weird Looking Stools” strategy is not limited to artistic intervention. The campaign includes a paid and organic media plan, with 50 billboards already active and another 19 planned for October 20. Advertisements have also been launched on social networks and digital banners with the aim of driving traffic to the campaign site and encouraging preventive checkups among people between 25 and 54 years old, the target group.
Through a local network of collaborators, Georgia CORE plans to extend the initiative to other spaces with high social attendance. And colorectal cancer is currently the second cause of cancer death in the United States, according to data from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Despite its high mortality, it is a preventable disease if detected in time. However, the stigma around the subject, misinformation and the lack of regular check-ups remain barriers.
More info: Weird Looking Stools
