Young women with cancer say 'fucc it'

Fucc It is a powerful new brand platform and campaign launched by charity organisation Cancer Chicks that aims to get Australians talking about and supporting young women living with cancer. The platform was created in partnership between Mediabrands Content Studio and Initiative Impact, with the goal of inspiring young women to refuse to let cancer and terminal illnesses define their lives.

The imagery for the campaign packs a punch:

'Fucc It’– I won't stop performing' says one poster with a young woman holding a vintage style microphone.

‘Fucc It’ – I'll see that Broome sunset' reads another.

The provocative tagline aims to grab attention, build rapport and generate a sense of liberation for the young women that Cancer Chicks support.

The campaign's centrepiece is a 30-second hero video that stars Cancer Chick brand ambassadors Sharni, Rhiannon, and Carlina. These women are regular mothers, sisters, friends, and co-workers who have all been diagnosed with cancer and have an inspiring mindset in common. The film depicts the women going through a ‘Fucc It’ moment—a realisation that they must leave the comforts of their homes, clinics, and cancer treatments in order to live their lives as they see fit. 

Marshall Campbell, general manager at MBCS, said the team knew a provocative idea was needed to cut through charity clutter and empower these remarkable young women. He said: “There is something liberating in saying “F*&% It, I’m doing it anyway” and that became the basis of CC’s new brand platform, which encourages young women to ‘be who you are, cancer or not’.

“Cancer is often portrayed as a source of sadness and despair, but Fucc It stands out from the norm and seeks to reshape the narrative towards one of empowerment and defiance, rather than yielding to the constraints imposed by illness.”

Rikki Stern, co-founder of Cancer Chicks and survivor of Hodgkins Lymphoma, said: “There is no better brand positioning for Cancer Chicks.  Every woman I know who has been diagnosed with cancer has had their ‘Fucc It’ moment that has inspired them to move beyond being a ‘woman with cancer’ to a woman who is proud to be who they are, cancer or not.”

The campaign will be brought to life across a multi-channel strategy designed to build rapid cultural awareness and support for Cancer Chicks, with content appearing across screens, radio, OOH, social, print and more, all further amplified by influencers, brand ambassadors and PR. ‘Fucc It’ launches April 24 and runs in market for six weeks.

Campaign's Take: Perfect execution of this powerful campaign and platform. The deliberately provocative tagline will no doubt become a cultural catchcry to empower young women to not let cancer define their lives. It's empowering and refreshing to see a campaign that flips the narrative by emphasising empowerment and defiance rather than giving in to the limitations put in place by disease.