Finalist
#MoreThanJustHeartburn Marketing Campaign
Summary of work
Early diagnosis is critical in oesophageal cancer, yet awareness of persistent heartburn as a warning sign is low in those at highest risk. To address this, Costello Medical partnered with Heartburn Cancer UK on a pro bono basis to design and deliver a focused awareness initiative for men over 50 in more deprived areas.
What makes this work stand out is the depth of strategic thinking applied to a small charity brief. We combined epidemiological analysis, census mapping, audience personas, stakeholder interviews and a review of existing campaigns to shape a tightly targeted approach. The result was a coordinated mix of digital and offline activity, timed to Oesophageal Cancer Awareness Month, that met the standards of a major paid campaign while remaining practical for a lean charity team to maintain.
All planned engagement metrics were comfortably exceeded, including a 650% year‑on‑year rise in impressions, a 278% rise in interactions and strong demand for materials from healthcare professionals. Most importantly, Heartburn Cancer UK was left with reusable assets and enhanced confidence in running future large‑scale campaigns, benefits that extend well beyond the initial activity.
Judges’ comments
The project from Costello Medical and Heartburn Cancer UK had SMART objectives and demonstrated great disease awareness. It was nicely piloted and all targets were surpassed. The sustainability was good and the strategy and analysis were strong. The judges enjoyed the degree of realism.
