F Cancer, a non-profit dedicated to early cancer detection and prevention, has debuted this “Pick up Your Poop” PSA to encourage colorectal cancer screening for those 45 years of age and older. Rolling out during Colon Cancer Awareness month, the piece–directed by Martin Holzman via production company Partizan for ad agency the community–raises the point that dog owners readily pick up their animal’s waste but remain squeamish about their own poop–in spite of the fact that taking a simple at home screening test like Cologuard can provide information that could help save their lives.
In this spot, delivering the message is a dog or more accurately, a spokesdog who makes the case for humans to pay attention to their poop. The stakes are high. The most common symptom of early colon cancer is no symptoms at all. And colorectal cancer has no limits— it can affect anyone. As colorectal cancer cases are rising among younger people and certain populations are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages (American Indians, Alaska Natives, Black and Hispanic Americans), reinforcing the importance of early screening has never been more important. When caught in early stages, colon cancer is treatable in 9 out of 10 people.
The lighthearted approach of a talking dog brings a smile along with a serious message. And the dog also wonders about himself. Who will be around to pick up the canine’s poop if the owner is no longer around?
Tied to the PSA is a website, pickupyourpoop.com, that features additional information about colorectal cancer screening, including details about at-home testing options and resources provided by F Cancer. Website visitors can even personalize the experience by uploading a photo of a beloved dog and, from there, an AI generator will depict their furry friend in a shareable video, urging the recipient to get tested, creating a shareable message encouraging others in their network to get screened.
“We love our dogs so much that picking up their poop is second nature. But when it comes to our own poop, we’re so easily grossed out–even when our health depends on it,” said Peter Alsante, NY chief creative officer at the community. “So, we thought, if we’re all willing to casually handle poop for our furry friends, maybe we’d be more willing to handle our own if it was a dog asking.”
This campaign is sponsored by Exact Sciences, the makers of the Cologuard test.
