The anticancer paste up

Graffiti throughout the city of São Paulo portraying female nudes is the new ally of the Liga do Rosa (Pink League), a movement launched by A.C. Camargo Cancer Center focusing on the importance of breast cancer awareness, prevention, and early diagnosis. With the concept created by the JWT Agency, the campaign “Tinta contra o câncer,” ("Paint against cancer") has the participation of graffiti artists who allowed their work to be used for an urban intervention that concerns mastectomy (breast removal surgery). It works like this: A type of pasted paper over the art work creates the effect that one of the breasts in the drawing was removed. Each work of graffiti used in the action, located in areas of large circulation and culture in São Paulo such as Praça da República, Rua Luminárias, Avenida Ataliba Leonel, receives the tagline "Qualquer mulher pode ser vítima do câncer de mama" (“Any woman can be a victim of breast cancer”), accompanied by sayings about the "Outubro Rosa" movement and the hashtag #LigaDoRosa. Although it is a street action, the campaign gained strength on social networks with the replication of images on the web and the dissemination of the video-case. In addition to addressing the importance of prevention and early diagnosis of the disease, the proposal of this campaign in portraying a mastectomy is to show that the removal of the breast is far from representing the loss of femininity and love for life. “A scar in the same place where there used to be a breast does not represent a defeat, but rather the confidence to overcome the disease. Every woman undergoing treatment is a warrior because her focus is to fight for her life," says surgical oncologist and Director of A.C. Camargo Breast Center Maria do Socorro Maciel. According to the CCO of the JWT Agency, Ricardo John, the fact that graffiti is an art form that is so common in the city can contribute to raising awareness for a large number of people besides just women.“Since it is intended for a diverse audience, the campaign can also reach adolescents and men who, in their role as children, boyfriends, fathers, and husbands, can help influence the awareness and prevention of the disease,” he says. "We pushed the boundaries in terms of the consequence of the problem, which is the image of a mastectomy, while taking care not to be too shocking,” says John, referring to the graffiti option. Outdoor advertisement created by JWT, Brazil for ACCamargo Cancer Center, within the category: Public Interest, NGO.