Who: Generali España

Objective: “As an insurance company, our duty is preventing risks,” says Javier Aguirre de Carcer Erasún, chief communications officer at insurance firm Generali España. One of the biggest risks in the health care sector is the threat of melanoma. As Spain has one of the highest sunlight ratios in the world and plays host to a number of sun-seeking tourists every year, it has a high risk of melanoma. Prevention and early detection of skin cancer increase the survival rate from 10% to 80%. Generali wanted to ensure that awareness about the risks of melanoma was widespread and that tourists and locals alike took appropriate preventative measures when in the sun.

Strategy: To achieve this, Generali pursued an unusual programme for an insurance firm. It launched a line of fashion-forward swimwear. The ‘Melanoma Summer Collection’ features a red and white polka dot pattern, but each dot is in fact based on a real melanoma shape. This has catapulted the company’s CSR work in melanoma prevention into the eye of the international media. Generali has seen over 40 articles thus far and had engagement from Spanish celebrities and journalists. The social media campaign has been particularly successful in building awareness. Supporting the launch was a press kit and comms campaign that featured a photo shoot of swimwear models debuting the collection and a film that discussed the threats of melanoma and the ways in which it can be
prevented and detected early. 

Rationale: “The main objective was to raise awareness of the importance of prevent skin cancer and we achieve[d] it. We are really proud of the favourable reception of the campaign and we will continue developing this kind of initiative in order to prevent risks and be a be a life-partner of society,” says Aguirre de Carcer Erasún.