How to change the way we see cancer screening, from a dark story to a vibrant future full of life?

Cancer screening has always felt like inviting bad news into your life when you'd rather focus on living well. We partnered with Alameda Health System Foundation to reframe the entire conversation—shifting from fear-based messaging to life-affirming action.

Most cancer screening campaigns rely on fear to motivate action: get screened or risk dying. But here's what the behavioral science shows—fear-based messaging keeps people away just as often as it brings them in. When screening feels like preparing for the worst, people avoid it entirely.

We worked alongside Alameda Health System Foundation team to develop "Screening for Life"—a campaign that completely reframed the conversation around early detection. Instead of dark, clinical imagery warning of death, we created vibrant, joyful visuals celebrating life. Instead of messaging focused on fear, we built a narrative about agency, hope, and the future people are building for themselves and their families.

The shift was behavioral, not just aesthetic. When you change how people feel about screening—from dread to empowerment—you change whether they actually show up. We developed campaign strategy, messaging, creative direction, and multi-channel content that repositioned cancer screening as a life-affirming choice, not a fear-driven obligation.