MacMillan Ads at cinema

[Josie1975]

I'm just curious as to what others think of this, or what your experience has been of this.

I was at the cinema this week and a new advert for MacMillan cancer charity came on. It's an extremely powerful advert, very emotional and hard hitting. But here's the thing. I'm a cancer patient, actively going through treatment. I know how fantastic MacMillan cancer charity are (and I have benefited from seeing a fantastic MacMillan nurse) and I appreciate they need to advertise and fund raise, but this advert hit me in the face so hard I was still feeling its impact when the film started just a few minutes later.

I tend to turn the channel over on TV when their adverts come on because I just can't handle them at the moment, but I had no choice in the cinema.

I had wanted to get away from things and lose myself in a film for a couple of hours, but instead I felt right back in the chemo room, such was the force of that advert. That's just my own experience, but I wonder whether others have had a similar experience, whether recently bereaved, a carer or going through treatment yourself.

Should I just suck it up and accept this will happen now on cinema trips (they have only recently started advertising in cinemas as a new 'brand' strategy) or is it reasonable to raise this with MacMillan and explain that it's actually quite upsetting to be quietly enjoying a cinema experience and then have the new advert come on with no avoiding it. Thoughts? The advert is 'cancer doesn't care' and I've put in a link below. Thanks Josie

www.marketingweek.com/2019/01/28/macmillan-brand-strategy-refreshed-identity/

www.youtube.com/user/macmillancancer

Yanbu I hate it too, constant reminders of the most painful thing in my life, the loss of my mum.

YANBU.

YANBU. Going to the cinema is a bit of escapism from RL and seeing that must be v upsetting.

Another who feels strongly the same way. It has happened to me on a few occassions and the silence that hits those i am with is so painful, just at a time when we had thought to escape for just a couple of hours.

YANBU at all. I’d raise it.

It didnt affect me, but a friend was dx with cancer over xmas (and my 11year old is braving the shave for macmillan, which friend chose for her) and it would probably make me well up now.

Id talk to macmillan. I think its great to get the message out, but if its marring something sufferers are doing to try and take their minds off it, then maybe its not right and needs amending.

YANBU. I always change the channel or at least mute the volume.

I actually got a bit harassed by one of their collection tin/sign up to our direct debit people at our local shopping centre. I told him I didn't want to chat as it was too close to home, I was very polite and just wanted to get away. He kept pushing and pushing, even when I said my DC is a cancer patient and I really didn't want to have to talk about it. Even then he continued, saying "well then you should know how important our work is". I was so upset that I didn't complain about him, but in hindsight I really should have.

Yanbu I hate it too, constant reminders of the most painful thing in my life, the loss of my mum.

I could have written this (sorry i don’t know how to link to original post!) x

YANBU. I find those ads very upsetting.

I saw this advert this week. I think it's a very good advert, it made me think about the support they'd given me and my mum when she was dying of cancer. For me that was over 20 years ago so time has given me distance from it but I can imagine how upsetting it would be to someone facing cancer more recently and I think you are right that it's difficult to escape in the cinema. I'd contact them if I were you.

Yanbu I have a close friend going through it, and suddenly it’s everywhere, not that she’s hiding from it but cinema and TV are the real escapes for an hour or two- after the cold feet fiasco (just that it broke her) I’ve started getting TV shows for my friend!

*vetting

Yanbu. Went to the cinema a couple of weeks ago and was confronted by a save the children ad. Was annoyed and felt extremely pissed off that on a nice night out I had nowhere to go when confronted by larger than life starving dying children were being shoved in my face. I would be equally if not more annoyed if it had been one of the cancer charities as it hits a bit too close to home. I appreciate to them it is the chance to reach a captive audience but would love to know how well that translates into active support. Because it annoyed and upset me so much I would actively choose not to support charity because of this. Charities must feel it's worth the risk of alienating people.

Thank you for your kind words and thoughts on this. Last night I had difficulty sleeping and actually had a nightmare about the advert. I think that emphasises just how powerful the advert is, but in my dream my DH and I were the Asian couple in the advert being dragged apart by cancer and I was screaming. It's really not ok for an advert to have such an impact and I have decided to both contact MacMillan (who I suspect will be very defensive of it) and the Advertising Standards Authority. If anyone sees the advert and finds it distressing, please would you consider complaining as well.

I feel MacMillan have simply gone too far with this one and unfortunately it is going to be seen a lot, because from what I have read it is their policy for it to be seen as many places as possible. It's so dramatic at the start of the advert I thought the grim reaper was going to appear and it's clearly designed to shock - but that shock factor is multiplied when it's on a big cinema screen with a captive audience. I'm going to avoid the cinema or make sure I only turn up when the film is actually due to be shown - but it shouldn't have to be like this. I really hope my DH doesn't see it, I think it would send him into a tailspin. Thanks again. Josie xx