U&MHC | BallsBone Prostate Cancer

Initiative 2019

Tension Point
Men often avoid prostate exams due to discomfort, embarrassment, or lack of awareness,
allowing prostate cancer to progress silently, frequently spreading to the bones.

Insight
Prostate cancer spreads to the bones in 9 out of 10 men if detected late,
yet early detection dramatically increases survival rates.
Despite this, many men delay or skip screenings, creating a critical window for intervention.

Idea
Use bold language and authentic medical visuals to confront men with the consequences
of inaction: “Grab it by the balls before you feel it in your bones.”
Provocative, memorable messaging can break through stigma and motivate men to take action
when traditional health communication fails.

Execution

• Created X-ray-inspired visuals printed on real X-ray papers and displayed behind backlit surfaces.

• Used the campaign name BALLSBONE and a double-entendre tagline to capture attention and spark conversation.

• Combined shock value with medical authenticity to make the message urgent, credible, and memorable.

Results & Impact

• Increased awareness and conversation around prostate cancer and the importance of early detection.

• Encouraged proactive health behavior, including screening appointments.

• Successfully transformed a taboo health topic into a visually striking, memorable call to action.