o promote cervical cancer prevention, a print campaign that urged low-income, middle-age women in Maryland to get annual pap tests found that using a few compelling words and
extensive white space delivered the most dramatic message.
he goal of the campaign, launched last year by Prospect Associates on behalf of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, was to drive home the message that since
there are no warning signs of cervical cancer, the best defense is an annual pap test. With cervical cancer rates in Maryland significantly higher than the rest of the nation, it
was critical that the Department of Health deliver a wakeup call on prevention.
he thought-provoking PSA campaign, which started out as a full-page, black-and-white print ad, was well received by newspapers and considered a bold strategy for a government
organization. "Most government clients are very literal and want to use as much information as can fit on a page," says Lynda Bardfield, Prospect's VP and creative director.
Eventually Prospect developed three sizes and 25 versions of the ad to meet the demands of several newspapers throughout the state. The ads were localized with the name and phone
number of appropriate county health departments and sometimes featured a toll-free phone number. The campaign also evolved into bus and metro ads for the Baltimore area transit.
lthough the campaign's message was provocative, it has not significantly moved the needle on getting more women to inquire about pap tests, says Kristi Pier, public service
coordinator for Maryland's health department. But the success of a campaign like this can't be exclusively measured by the number of calls generated or the number of physician
appointments scheduled because the communication barriers are so entrenched. Pap tests are often considered a low priority and a source of embarrassment for women in general and
particularly for middle-age, low-income women. It's important for cervical cancer campaigns to plant a seed in the minds of women to get annual pap tests -- which is what the
Early Warning Signs effort achieved most effectively, says Pier.
(Prospect, Lynda Bardfield, 301/592-8600; Maryland Department of Health, Kristi Pier, 410/767-5069)