CAMPAIGN UPDATE!
Tune into BBC4 on Monday 1st feb at 10pm to see the campaign featured in a one-off documentary ‘Craftivism: Making a Difference’.
As the campaign has grown year on year, it now has its very own website.
For all the latest news, mini pants templates, information and resources, click here.
Click to watch the BBC short video on the campaign.
#We are all smear ready is an empathy-led social media and craftivism campaign.
The culmination of losing a family friend to cervical cancer, hearing headlines that attendance rates for cervical screenings were over a twenty year low and receiving my invitation to attend a smear test appointment, sparked my motivation to get involved and do something.
As an empathy-led marketer and designer, passionate about empowering women, I wanted to use empathy in a way that could impact social change, so I created an independent passion project to make a real difference to women’s lives.
The campaign started in 2019 and uses craftivism (craft + activism) as a tool to get a sensitive message across in an unusual and eye-catching way. Craftivism is known as a gentle form of protest that can bring about long-term effective change, the opposite of angry, shouting protests and marches. I was inspired by Sarah Corbett’s book ‘How to be a Craftivist’ and how craftivism takes a thoughtful approach to mindful activism, the prefect tool for this campaign.
During Cervical Screening Awareness week in June, I encouraged people to make a mini pair of pants to either post in public or on social media alongside an information label explaining the national context of falling attendance rates and a space for the crafter to sign their name. These proved to be conversation starters for many, with people sharing their stories and encouraging loved ones to book their appointment.
Hundreds of people got involved making and sharing mini pairs of pants using whatever materials they had to hand, with a strong emphasis on sustainability.
The campaign has received so many messages saying the campaign has inspired them to book their appointment. Scroll down to see the engagement and impact from the last two years.
As featured by:
In 2020 the campaign was all about rainbow pants, to champion the amazing NHS nurses who carry out countless screenings and don’t care what your lady garden looks like, they’ve seen every variety.
This is the main campaign graphic posted on the first day of this year’s awareness week. It has been shared over 1.7k times on Facebook, reaching nearly 200,000 people including several medical practices using it to advertise that they are now able to carry out screenings.
Campaign overview
What is the campaign about?
#weareallsmearready is a response to the falling rates of women attending cervical screenings (smear tests). It tackles two of the main barriers cited by women for skipping appointments: embarrassment and body image. It targets 25-29 year olds, the highest-risk group for cervical cancer and the largest age group to skip appointments (1 in 3 women compared to the national average of 1 in 4). During Cervical Screening week in June, people made tiny pairs of pants and information labels to post in public and share on social media to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screenings (smear tests) and to encourage conversations too.
Why should people get involved?
Many health awareness campaigns come from a very medical perspective whereas #weareallsmearready has more of a supportive big sister feel. All the campaign information accessible, supportive and informative. It reinforced the message that ‘you don’t have to be beach ready to be smear ready’. The NHS Screening programme saves an estimated 5000 lives every year and 75% of cervical cancers can be prevented by cervical screening so we need to highlight how important they are to cancer prevention. Making these mini pairs of pants was a gentle yet eye-catching way to get an important message across, inspired by the effective work of the Craftivist Collective.
What happened last year?
Hundreds of people got involved with the campaign last year and it’s very simple, quick and fun to do so. Simply make a mini pair of pants either using the downloadable templates or your own design using fabric, paper or anything you have to hand (sustainability is important, so try not to buy anything specifically). Decorate them as fancy as you like, attach an information label (there’s one on the downloadable PDF) and post your pants on social media anytime during Cervical Screening Awareness Week 14-20th June 2021) with #weareallsmearready. People shared them, others re-shared and some posted inspirational stories of how a routine smear test had saved their life.
Mini pants were dropped in public during Cervical Screening Awareness Week, shared on social media with #weareallsmearready, and then found and re-shared by others.
An example of some of the pants made by the creative crafty community. See below for other photos made and shared to raise awareness and encourage conversations around smear testing,
People also shared stories of smear tests that saved their life, and some that had known of loved ones tragically losing their lives too early from cervical cancer.
I was interviewed live on BBC radio Wiltshire about the campaign and craftivism both before and after the awareness week.
The campaign was also featured as a case study in Sarah Corbett’s Craftivist 2019 Yearbook. Her book ‘How to be a Craftivist’ inspired me to use this effective and gentle form of protest within the campaign.
What impact did the campaign have?
I received numerous messages from women saying the campaign had inspired them to book their appointments, many saying they had put it off for months, some years. Businesses nation-wide also got involved by sharing the campaign posts, images and infographics with offers of support, such as an hour of free childcare from @supersittersskt to attend a cervical screening and a free bikini wax from @xmbeauty for those who have booked their appointment.
Sexual Health professionals also shared the campaign graphics, reinforcing the campaign message: “Our lovely nursing staff at Sexual Health Wirral have seen it all. Nothing about your vulva and vagina will shock them. It's important to get screened.” @uk_taoi on Instagram
“Great message, my smear saved my life!”
“What a fantastic way of reminding women of the importance of being regularly screened!”
“Loving the pants... Hoping they help someone”
“The most important test any lady could take! Thank you for sharing”
“Found this in a Bristol Pizza Hut toilet. I can't wait to do this, it's so important to get smears and yet so many don't”
“Oh those knickers are so cute. I had my letter come on Saturday for my first screening, booking in for mine today!”
Make, wear and share a pair of rainbow pants for Cervical Screening Awareness Week 2020.
During Cervical Screening Awareness week (15th - 21st June), simply post a pic of your rainbow pants on social media with #weareallsmearready. You never know what a difference it might have. Last year I received so many messages saying the campaign had inspired them to book their appointment. Scroll down to see photos and comments from last year’s campaign.
In 2020 the campaign was all about rainbow pants, to champion the amazing NHS nurses who carry out countless screenings and don’t care what your lady garden looks like. They’ve seen every variety.
It’s a quick, easy and fun way to get involved and do something. You can freestyle and make your own pair or use the downloadable templates via the button below. There’s also instructions to DIY with a tin of beans, card and a pencil…
