Balls' in Your Court : a health communication campaign encouraging young men to take charge of their health by practising testicular self-examination

• Main Authors: Khong, Faith Qi, Koo, Fiona Kah Ling, Lee, Jermaine Hong Hui
• Other Authors: Chen Lou
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2019
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Communication::Promotional communication::Communication campaigns
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/76636
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This paper presents Balls’ in Your Court, the first health communication campaign in Singapore that focuses on raising awareness about testicular cancer and Testicular Self- Examination (TSE). Initiated by three final-year undergraduates from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University, the campaign aimed to encourage young men in Singapore aged 18 to 30 to practice TSE on a regular basis. Driven by the fact that there were not enough campaigns targeted at men’s health, on top of minimal to no prior literature on testicular cancer in Singapore, the campaign worked towards bridging the informational gaps on testicular cancer. Despite the highly sensitive topics of both cancer and genitalia, Balls’ in Your Court managed to reach out to young men in Singapore through creative tactics. Messaging strategy utilised a mix of humour and colloquialism to raise awareness about testicular cancer and how early detection through TSE could save lives. Additionally, partnerships with several organisations, including government organisation National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore Cancer Society, urologists, and tertiary institutions allowed the campaign to yield a wider reach. Finally, based on analyses and campaign measurements, Balls’ in Your Court succeeded in effecting behavioural change amongst males exposed to our messaging, with a 200% increase in practice of TSE amongst young males.