Colorectal Cancer Screening Campaign
Creative Lead | Senior Copywriter | Content Strategist
TL;DR
I led the messaging, narrative, and full creative system for Cityblock’s colorectal cancer screening campaign—transforming a typically fear-driven topic into a clear, supportive, and approachable member experience that drove the highest direct-mail engagement of any clinical campaign to date.
Highlights
- Created the full omnichannel storytelling system across SMS, email, direct mail, and member letters
- Reframed CRC screening through normalization (“72% of Americans…”), not fear or urgency
- Simplified screening choices into easy, digestible options to reduce confusion and hesitation
- Used a calm, supportive tone and approachable creative to make screening feel manageable
- Implemented low-friction CTAs (QR, one-tap links, single number to call) to increase action
- Delivered Cityblock’s highest direct-mail engagement of any clinical campaign, outperforming all other clinical mailers by more than 50%
- Established a new internal model for member-first preventive care communication
Overview
Colorectal cancer screening is a topic that intimidates most people—often because the messaging is clinical, confusing, or rooted in fear. Cityblock needed a campaign that did the opposite: something approachable, human, and easy to follow.
As Lead Strategist and Senior Copywriter, I created the narrative system, messages, member journey, and full creative suite (SMS, email, direct mail, letters) that reframed screening as simple, normal, and doable.
This project became a model for how storytelling and behavior-focused copy can transform even the most uncomfortable health actions into something members feel empowered to complete.
Challenge
Traditional colorectal cancer campaigns fail because they:
- Lean too heavily on fear or statistics
- Explain screening in overly medical terms
- Don’t address emotional hesitation
- Offer too much information and too few clear next steps
- Assume members understand screening options (they don’t)
My challenge was to create a campaign that felt light, clear, and emotionally grounded, while still motivating action.
Insight & Storytelling Strategy
1. Start with normalization, not fear
Instead of warning members about cancer, I led with a simple behavioral insight:
People follow the crowd when the action feels normal.
This inspired the anchor line:
“Did you know 72% of Americans are up to date on their colorectal screenings?”
This subtle shift reframed screening as something people like you already do.
2. Create a confident, calm narrative
Members needed reassurance—not pressure. I built a brand voice that was:
- Warm
- Steady
- Plainspoken
- Respectful of privacy
- Gentle but clear about the next step
The tone throughout: “We’ve got you, here’s what to expect, and here’s how we’ll help.”
3. Remove complexity through simple, digestible explanations
Instead of overwhelming members with technical differences between tests, I broke the process into one simple idea:
“There are a few easy ways to get screened—pick what works best for you.”
This eliminated decision paralysis and made the campaign feel accessible.
4. Build trust through human-centered creative
I partnered closely with design to create layouts and visuals that:
- Felt friendly and not clinical
- Used large, clear CTAs
- Introduced illustrations to reduce intimidation
- Made screening feel like a normal part of self-care
The design system supported the tone: approachable, modern, simple.
5. Craft low-friction actions across every channel
Every asset—SMS, email, direct mail—centered on a single, easy action:
- Tap a link
- Scan a QR code
- Call one number
No jargon. No multi-step barriers. Just one clear path forward.
Execution
SMS Messaging
Short, reassuring, and built around one behavioral nudge at a time:
- Social proof
- “You may be due” reminders
- Quick scheduling paths
Email Campaign
Friendly tone, simple framing, and supportive messaging—not medical lectures.
Direct Mail
A clean, narrative-first layout focused on clarity, reassurance, and easy next steps.
This piece became the strongest-performing clinical mailer in company history.
Narrative Letter
Written in a confident but warm tone that framed screening as routine—not scary.
Results & Impact
1. Best-performing clinical mailer Cityblock has ever produced
- CRC direct mail generated 121 QR scans,
- More than 50% higher engagement than the next best-performing clinical mailer
This demonstrated the power of clear, human-first communication—especially for topics people usually avoid.
2. Cross-channel improvements
The storytelling system improved outcomes across channels:
- SMS engagement increased
- Members clicked more
- The campaign generated the strongest direct-mail action rate of any clinical campaign to date
3. Behavioral impact
The combination of social proof, calm tone, simple choices, and low-friction actions helped members:
- Feel less intimidated
- Understand their options quickly
- Take action confidently
This campaign proved that when you humanize complex topics, engagement follows.