Lux ‘The Soap with a Lump’ – An initiative to help detect Breast Cancer
Lux: The Soap with a Lump. An initiative to help detect Breast Cancer
Lux, India’s leading soap brand launched ‘The Soap with a Lump’ an initiative by Unilever and Wunderman Thompson to help detect breast cancer in its infancy. The iconic soap was redesigned with a difference. It had a visible lump on it. The innovation encourages women to examine their breasts for any abnormality, while in the shower. There is no better time to remind women to check their breasts than when they are alone in the privacy of their bathroom.
75% of women in India shy away from checking themselves for signs of breast cancer. Something about touching their breasts makes them uncomfortable. Lux wanted to find a way to encourage self-examination, so it redesigned its product. The Soap with a Lump alerts women when they are in the shower and uninhibited. In collaboration with the Indian Cancer Society, The Soap with a Lump was introduced to women through screening camps. It started a conversation about self-examination and is now being extended across India through ICS initiatives.
Unilever and Wunderman Thompson collaborated with technical experts, designers, soap manufactures and a leading cancer oncologist to design the first-ever soap that uses touch to help alert women, to be on the lookout for signs of anything irregular.
This initiative was presented at the breast cancer screening camp conducted by the Indian Cancer Society (ICS) at Vasai, Maharashtra. Women of different age groups were given the soap along with a leaflet that educated them on the importance of breast awareness. Future plans include a collaboration with the Indian Cancer Society(ICS) in spreading breast awareness and education among women across India.
A soap that helps women feel beautiful and can perhaps help save a life.
Commenting on the initiative, Samir Singh, Executive Vice President, Global Skin Cleansing, Unilever, said, “This initiative is personal. Everything about it and the people involved in bringing it to life – across Unilever/Lux, Wunderman Thompson and the Indian Cancer Society is personal and done with the sole objective of increasing awareness about breast cancer. The moment of the shower is a quiet, private and reflective moment.
A moment where we want to encourage women to think about beauty holistically and what that entails not just for their appearance but also for their health – by helping them do a quick check for early signs of breast cancer, a disease whose cure is contingent on early detection. That’s the power of a humble bar of soap, that’s the power of creative thinking integrated into a business with purpose. We feel very strongly about this innovation and its potential to have a lasting impact!”
Tista Sen, Regional Creative Director, Wunderman Thompson, South Asia adds, “A human truth is what drives a simple idea, and this is amply evident in the Soap with a Lump. Women are alone in the shower when they are bathing, and this is an ideal moment to alert her to check her breasts for any abnormality. Breast cancer when detected early can help save a life.
And the soap you use to bathe can help. Beauty is not one dimensional but embraces everything that encourages a woman to take charge of her life and her body. And it is this belief that encourages Lux to start a conversation that originates in the shower but eventually becomes a rallying cry for women across the world.”
Tags:
Product Innovation, Awareness Campaign, India, Public Interest
