Check Out My Breasts

Rethink Breast Cancer, Canada, launched a hugely popular website, checkoutmybreasts.com, in May 2006, to demystify the art of self-examination in the early detection of breast cancer. The online campaign was introduced to the Canadian public with a television commercial in which a blonde woman invited viewers to check out her breasts.

Once on the site, viewers need to wait for the 7.9 mb flash animation to load. A woman thanks viewers for coming to the site and encourages them to purchase a Fashion Targets Breast Cancer t-shirt from Roots and wear them on May 26 in support of breast cancer research.

When the viewer clicks on the t-shirt’s target, the woman drops the shirt to reveal her topless figure. Viewers are able to click on seven ‘target’ zones for a demonstration of breast examination. See the script below.

Needless to say, the site has attracted the attention of both men and women. Commentators wonder about the line between titillating education and titillating pornography.

NOTE – THIS SITE HAS NOW BEEN DISCONTINUED AND IS BEING USED AS A FOCUS FOR ONLINE ADVERTISING

“True, it’s an edgy campaign” says MJ DeCoteau, executive director of Rethink Breast Cancer. “But we’re not trying to be shocking, we just want to grab a lot of attention and engage women in understanding the importance of being breast aware. There’s so much conflicting information about how and when women should check their breasts that it can be overwhelming and difficult to decipher what steps to take. At Rethink we’re telling women that there is no right or wrong way to check your breasts. It’s simply critical that you do.”

Credits

The TV and web campaign was developed by Toronto advertising agency Zig.

Check Out My Breasts Script

Check out my breasts and learn how it easy it is to check out yours. Use your cursor to learn what to look for when examining your breasts.

1. Check for any unusual thickening of the breast tissue. Here’s how I do it. Raising my arm above my head, with my fingers flat I apply pressure in small circles.
2. Check that one breast hasn’t become larger or lower than the other.
3. Check for any changes to your nipples or any skin irritations around them.
4. Check for any changes to skin texture. Look for puckering or dimpling of the skin.
5. If you find anything unusual or feel pain when checking out your breasts, talk to your doctor immediately.
6. Remember there are no rules. There is no wrong ways to check out your breasts. You just have to check them regularly enough to know if there are any changes.
7. The goal is to be familiar with what your breasts look and feel like normally so you’ll know if there are any changes. Look for any unusual lumps or lumpy areas in your breasts or armpits.