Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Mastercard and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame announced today that they are teaming up to take down one of the biggest villains of all, cancer, with an impactful new Public Service Announcement scheduled to launch in April.
The PSA campaign features Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame Super Heroes alongside real-life heroes: cancer survivors. The two global brands are collaborating to raise awareness for SU2C to help all patients become long-term survivors. The PSA will come to life across print, TV, radio, digital and out-of-home networks, aligning with the premiere of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame in theaters April 26, 2019.
The new PSA is the latest collaboration between SU2C and Mastercard, marking Mastercard’s 10th year as a supporter of SU2C. To date, Mastercard has donated more than $45 million to SU2C’s collaborative cancer research programs, providing invaluable support for research leading to five FDA approvals for new cancer therapies. This marks the second collaboration between SU2C and Marvel Studios, who collaborated with American Airlines, a longstanding donor to SU2C, on a PSA campaign tied to Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.
“It’s incredible to look back at the impact our donations have had on cancer research. We are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the help of our cardholders over the last ten years,” said Cheryl Guerin, executive vice president, North America marketing and communications, Mastercard. “This new campaign gives us the extraordinary opportunity to spotlight the heroes of our community— those who have defeated cancer in their own lives. It further underscores the message that no one is alone standing up to this disease and that we are stronger when we join forces. We are so honored to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame on this galvanizing PSA. Together, we want to create a future where everyone facing a cancer diagnosis becomes a long-term survivor.”
“It’s a privilege to team up with Stand Up To Cancer and its long-time supporter, Mastercard, to spotlight the true heroes of our world,” said Mindy Hamilton, SVP of Marvel Partnerships. “On behalf of the entire studio, we deeply admire the courage, strength and empowering Super Hero examples that patients and survivors continue to set. We look forward to the day when there is an end to cancer.”
“At Stand Up To Cancer, collaboration is the cornerstone of our mission,” said Rusty Robertson, Stand Up To Cancer co-founder. “We are so grateful to Mastercard and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame for standing with us, and to all the survivors who bravely share their personal journeys. This incredible collaboration illustrates how we can all be Super Heroes.”
The print PSA features Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame cast members Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, along with Pearl, a pediatric cancer survivor, Arnold a Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) survivor and Lori, a breast cancer survivor. Arnold and Pearl are also included in the Spanish language print PSA.
The broadcast PSA, including TV and radio, also features Chris Evans (Captain America) and Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), as well as Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Danai Gurira (Okoye). Survivors featured include Arnold, Lori and Pearl, as well as Dave, an esophageal cancer survivor, Phuong, a colon cancer survivor, and Robyn, a breast cancer survivor. It is inspired by Stand Up To Cancer’s UK colleagues’ innovative PSA, “The Takedown,” which was created and directed by Melissa Bolton-Klinger, a Stage 3 head and neck cancer survivor. The US adaptation and print campaign were produced by L Associates, an integrated creative agency located in Hollywood, Calif. that focuses on entertainment and brands.
Mastercard launched its support for SU2C with a “Priceless” PSA which aired during the 2009 MLB World Series. Since then, Mastercard has continued to collaborate with SU2C, most notably on their annual dine out campaign. Over the last 10 years, Mastercard’s donations have significantly supported SU2C’s research in immunotherapy, precision treatments, and the development of technologies using blood tests to identify cancers early, imaging cancers to understand tumor progression, and new laboratory tools to target drug discovery and precision medicine. Financial support from Mastercard currently is helping SU2C to advance the new fields of convergence, bringing mathematicians, physicists and oncologists together to investigate immunotherapy in difficult to treat cancers, as well as cancer interception, which seeks to diagnose cancer and pre-cancerous conditions as early as possible, and develop treatments to intervene in the formation or advancement of cancer.
In 2019, over 1.7 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, with 1 in 3 Americans diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This compelling PSA campaign will raise awareness for Stand Up To Cancer while also raising funds needed to continue critical ground-breaking research.