Vanity and the obsession with looking young causes many women to endure myriad pains: cosmetic surgery, an unrelenting fitness regimen, bikini waxes, mudpacks and the like. But the proposition becomes "vanity unfair" when not even a fraction of the same effort goes toward staying healthy. And part of being responsible for one’s own well being is making sure to undergo a colorectal cancer test. Early detection is key to survival—besides, you want to be around as long as you can so that all those beauty treatments don’t go to waste.
This :30 opens on a woman wincing as a strip of adhesive tape is ripped off to remove the hair on her upper lip. Wads of foil cover the head of another fair lady, as she stares dully into space. A third female lies inert while thick green gook is troweled onto her face. Another woman endures the tugging of two attendants as they tightly braid her hair—ouch!
A bouncy rendition of the song "Keep Young and Beautiful" underscores the action as we continue to witness the price of looking good. A woman lies stiff as a board in a full-body wrap, as perspiration is toweled off her face. Yet another lass grimaces after a nose job; her eyes are swollen and bandages cover and surround her proboscis.
But a nose job pales in comparison to what the pen-like markings on a seventh woman’s profile portend: arrows point to suggested nips, tucks and future sutures that will give her face a youthful appearance. Next up a syringe hovers over the folds of another female’s forehead, presumably about to inject an anti-wrinkle concoction.
Over the "Keep Young and Beautiful" soundtrack, a woman’s voice gives a sobering perspective on the ordeals we’ve been watching: "If women can do all this just to look young, then we can do what it takes to make sure we grow old. Get checked for colon cancer."
As we watch still another lady tightening her girdle to the nth degree, and one more about to suffer the ultimate step of a bikini wax, the voiceover reassures us: "And don’t worry about the [colorectal] exam." Sound of a rrrrrip. "You can handle it."
The simple message, "Prevent Colon Cancer," then fills the screen, accompanied by a Web site address for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (nccra.org).
The NCCRA was co-founded by NBC Today Show co-anchor Katie Couric, cancer fund-raiser Lilly Tartikoff (widow of former NBC Entertainment president Brandon Tartikoff) and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a nonprofit organization. The NCCRA is dedicated to the eradication of colon cancer by harnessing celebrity power to promote education, fund-raising, research and early medical screening. Colorectal cancer is the nation’s second-leading cancer killer. However, its cure rate is more than 90 percent if detected early and if potentially cancerous colorectal polyps are removed. Even though colorectal cancer is preventable, fewer than half of all Americans over the age of 50 have ever been tested for it, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Titled "Keep Young and Beautiful," this PSA is designed to help promote awareness of colorectal cancer and to encourage more people to get tested for the disease. The :30 was directed by Kieran Walsh of bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures for agency Arnold Worldwide, Boston.
The Arnold team consisted of chief creative officer Ron Lawner, managing partner Jay Williams, art director Wendy Beckett, copywriter Annie Finnegan, VP/executive broadcast producer Kevin Shale and assistant producer Selina Gomeau.
Steve Wax executive produced for Chelsea Pictures. Line producer was Alex Aab. The spot was shot at Drive-In Studios, New York by DP Fred Murphy.
Kirk Baxter of Final Cut, New York, edited, with Sari Resnick serving as assistant editor. Stephanie Apt is Final Cut’s managing director. Geoff McAuliffe and Brian Drewes of Brickyard VFX, Boston, were Flame artist and producer, respectively. Colorist was Chris Ryan of Nice Shoes, New York. Sound designer/audio mixer was Rick Sweetzer of Rumblestrip, Boston. Music was donated by Annie Lenox, with additional music from creative director/composer Alex Lasarenko of Elias Arts, bicoastal. Andy Solomon produced for Elias.
