MUMBAI: Cancer is a deadly disease and the second leading cause of death amongst many people. Every year a whopping 8.2 million die of cancer across the world. Even then, many still remain ignorant of some basic self-surveillance techniques that can help people detect this deadly disease at an early stage and beat it. And what better medium than advertisements to communicate and convey the message to the masses?

On World Cancer Day, which falls on 4 February every year, Indiantelevision.com lists five ads that highlight, focus on the fight against cancer and convey the message that no matter how isolating the disease, one should always fight against cancer.

Read on…

1) The Sisters - and the true meaning of hair – This four minute ad campaign encourage hair donations for cancer survivors. This ad was directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun for National Cancer institute of Thailand.

2) Brave and Beautiful - Mullen Lowe Lintas Group India created the Brave and Beautiful campaign for Dabur Vatika to salute women who have defeated cancer and conveys the message that some people don’t need hair to look beautiful.

3) The Silent Couple – Philips’ silent film on breast cancer is conceptualised by Ogilvy Common Health. The campaign urges husbands to share some household chores with their wives so that they can then use that time to do the breast self-examination test at home.

4) Macmillan Cancer Support - Macmillan Cancer Support launched its brand campaign with a TV ad that featured a man wandering alone in a blizzard as a metaphor for how isolating the disease can be. The spot was created by VCCP. 

5) Race for Life - This ad tries to convey that whether you walk, jog or charge around your chosen race for life event, take your place in the fight against cancer.