Aliff Ahmad
Project Manager
on
Messaging/Communication Tactics / Words Matter: Crafting Messages to Drive Breast Cancer Screening
Words Matter: Crafting Messages to Drive Breast Cancer Screening
Issue
In Malaysia, breast cancer casts a long shadow, being the most common cancer affecting women. But the real challenge isn’t just the disease—it’s that too many women are diagnosed when it’s already too late. Low awareness, fear, and limited access to early screening leave countless women vulnerable, turning what could be a treatable condition into a life-threatening battle. The question is: how can we reach women before it’s too late?
Communication/Tactics:
To tackle the issue, researchers from the Ministry of Health Malaysia dug deep to understand what truly motivates women to take action. Their formative research revealed three powerful emotional appeals: fear, hope, and authoritativeness. We were then brought in to lead a message crafting workshop, using these insights as our guide.
In collaboration with healthcare providers, NGOs, and women over 40, we co-created messages that spoke to real emotions and lived experiences. These weren’t just generic health reminders—they were personal, relatable, and designed to break through the barriers holding women back from screening. Once crafted, we tested these messages across women of different races to see which emotional triggers truly resonated. The goal was simple: inspire more women to prioritize breast cancer screening—and take control of their health before it’s too late.
