LOS ANGELES: Stand Up to Cancer has launched a public service announcement campaign focused on what motivates its scientists to conduct research.
The campaign, It’s All in the Why, features leaders from the organization and researchers who receive funding from the group.
“We chose to unite leading voices from our cancer-research community to speak to the motivation and inspiration behind their work and share their passion about the importance of funding groundbreaking cancer research,” Stephanie Herron, SU2C chief development officer, said via email.
The campaign features scientists and physicians who receive funding from the organization and some who serve in leadership roles with the group, such as Dr. Brian Wolpin, physician-scientist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Dr. Edith Perez, chief medical officer at Bolt Biotherapeutics; Dr. Folasade May, physician-scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles; John Carpten, a researcher at University of Southern California; and Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier, physician-scientist at Dana-Farber.
“[It’s All in the Why] is a message that is authentically part of the DNA of Stand Up to Cancer since its inception,” Herron stated. “Cancer has either directly or indirectly touched the lives of so many people, and that includes our founders, researchers, patients, staff and donors. While each cancer journey is unique, the desire to collaborate across different organizations and scientific disciplines to discover new therapies to save lives is often deeply personal.”
The campaign uses footage from the organization’s 2021 telecast. In one video, Stegmaier says, “People are always asking me…” “Why do I do this work?” May continues. Carpten answers, “Two words come to mind for me. One is responsibility; the other is purpose.”
The campaign features three videos that are 60 seconds, 30 seconds and 15 seconds, and they will run for the next year through donated media on national and regional broadcast networks and affiliates, out-of-home networks and digital platforms.
Done+Dusted produced the original footage, and an SU2C internal team repurposed it for the new campaign.