Working with cancer
In March of 2022, CEO of Publicis Groupe, Arthur Sadoun, was diagnosed with cancer. He decided very quickly to make the news public, to be fully transparent with his teams and partners. As a result, he received an outpouring of emails from people telling him about themselves and their family members, who went through cancer. We learned that after being scared for their health, cancer patients were too often scared for their jobs, and felt the need to hide their illness. And this is far too common. According to a 2019 study fielded by Cancer At Work, 50% of people diagnosed with cancer are afraid to talk about it at work.
That is why with leading cancer organizations including Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cancer at Work, Gustave Roussy and more, we are launching a program called #Workingwithcancer.
Overview
The purpose of this campaign is to remove the stigma of cancer at work, and to stand with every employee dealing with the disease through concrete action. Thanks to a dedicated website, we have invited over a 1000 companies to join us to set out the measures they are already taking, or will take in the future, to support cancer patients. The rollout of this program has driven awareness to the cause in the US, UK, France and beyond.
On the week of January 16th, 2023 we have launched #Workingwithcancer campaign , at the World Economic Forum in Davos to the business community, asking them all to join our pledge. This initiative has followed with the launch of 360 awareness driving campaign in time for World Cancer Day on 4th February.
CLIENT: Publicis Worldwide
PROJECT: Working with Cancer
DELIVERABLES: 360 Campaign
AGENCY: Le Truc, PXP, Publicis Worldwide
MY ROLE: Program Manager
Today the program is an alliance of major international companies united by a pledge to create an open, supportive and recovery-forward culture for cancer sufferers. Founding partners include Abbvie, Adobe, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, BT, Citi, Google, Haleon, Labcorp, L’Oréal, Lloyd’s, LVMH, Marriott, McDonald’s, Meta, Mondelez, Microsoft, MSD, Nestlé, Omnicom, Pepsico, Renault Group, Sanofi, Toyota, Unilever, Verizon, and Walmart, the world’s largest private employer.
Doug McMillon
“Walmart is proud to partner with Working with Cancer and others to eliminate the workplace stigma of a cancer diagnosis. Our purpose is to help people save money and live a better life, and supporting the health and well-being our own associates, including those who have been diagnosed with cancer, is at the core of that purpose. Together we can make the workplace better for those living with cancer and make a positive impact on people’s lives.”
Central to this call is this campaign film out of Publicis Conseil titled Monday, directed by Elena Petitti Di Roreto and Martin de Thurah, which depicts the often harrowing journey of cancer patients and the vital importance of workplace support. Many of the crew behind Monday are cancer survivors and caregivers themselves, bringing personal and authentic resonance to a film that highlights a universal issue. This piece later became a Super Bowl commercial that was aired during halftime in New York and thri-state area.
“Monday” Working with Cancer Pledge
Agency Publicis Conseil Agathe Bousquet, CEO, Publicis Groupe France; Marco Venturelli, CEO/CCO, Publicis Conseil and CCO, Publicis France, and copywriter; Maud Robaglia, head of art; Laura Aondio, Francesca Vitello, creatives; Christopher Thiery, co-president, Prodigious France; Caroline Petruccelli, head of agency production; Christophe Caurret, head of sound; Shannon Eddy, business director. Production Company Henry Jean-Luc Bergeron, exec producer; Gaelle Delaporte, producer; Julia Mongin, production coordinator; Elena Petitti Di Roreto, director; Martin de Thurah, consultant director; Thimios Bakatakis, DP. French Crew Jean-Francois Fontanel, 1st assistant director; Emmanuelle Duplay, set designer; Sonia Philouze, costume designer.
Working with wins Cannes Lions'
“Working With Cancer Pledge,” an initiative to end the stigma of cancer in the workplace, originally inspired by Publicis Groupe Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun’s own fight against the disease was honored with the Health Grand Prix for Good at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on Monday January 16th, 2023.
