The Super Bowl isn’t usually populated with tough subjects and emotional stories, but those companies that take chances with heavier subjects can make a big impact if the creative hits the right tone.

Publicis Groupe is tackling a weighty subject—cancer—and is putting a highly emotive message into the Super Bowl. This is part of its “Working With Cancer” initiative, a cross-industry coalition formed by Publicis Groupe to erase the stigma and insecurity of cancer at work. It is a global “wake-up call” urging everyone to play their part in supporting colleagues with cancer.

After being diagnosed and treated for cancer last year, Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun launched Working With Cancer at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 17. Today, the program is an alliance of major international companies united by a pledge to create an open, supportive and recovery-forward culture for cancer sufferers. Founding partners include Abbvie, Adobe, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, BT, Citi, Google, Haleon, Labcorp, L’Oréal, Lloyd’s, LVMH, Marriott, McDonald’s, Meta, Mondelez, Microsoft, MSD, Nestlé, Omnicom, Pepsico, Renault Group, Sanofi, Toyota, Unilever, Verizon and Walmart.

Carla Serrano, Publicis global chief strategy officer and CEO of Publicis New York, told Adweek that Sadoun was initially skeptical about announcing his cancer diagnosis because of the stigmas attached, but after sharing, he received so much positive feedback from both inside and outside the company that he decided to launch Working With Cancer at Davos.

“We can affect the companies, but if you do not affect the rest of the people in the culture, you’re not actually going to succeed. So that’s where the Super Bowl comes in,” said Serrano.

Sadoun added that Working With Cancer is already positively impacting the lives of 20 million people, but Publicis wants to continue to rally more companies to the movement.

“That is why we are launching a call not only for awareness … to create a real cultural shift in the workplace,” said Sadoun in a statement.

‘Monday’ debuts on World Cancer Day

The campaign, “Monday,” was created by Publicis and directed by Elena Petitti Di Roreto and Martin de Thurah. It takes its name from the day of the week when people return to work, the day that also inspires dread in many, but even more for those returning after an illness. “Monday” serves as a wake-up call in time for World Cancer Day, Feb. 4, and anchored in the reality that half of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, so everyone has a responsibility to support cancer patients at work. Some of the crew behind “Monday” are cancer survivors and caregivers themselves, lending validity and urgency to the project.

The film depicts the journey of two cancer patients and the importance of workplace support. It shows the people going through the shock and pain of their diagnoses, as well as their treatments, their internal struggles, their recoveries and eventual return to work, where they are welcomed by their co-workers.

“I’ve done a lot of film in my life, and this by far has been the most intense experience I’ve had,” Marco Venturelli, chief executive and chief creative officer for Publicis Conseil, told Adweek. He went on to say that the fact that nearly everyone knows someone who has or has had cancer made the film so relatable, which brought out a theme of empathy.

What the team discovered in its research is that the support of the people around them, both in and outside of the workplace.

“Adding empathy in the workplace, not just from your boss, but from colleagues, is very important, it’s a way to help recover better,” said Venturelli.

Backing from the industry

Publicis sees Working With Cancer as a long-term initiative to drive social change, and it is working with companies and media outlets ranging from Walmart to Meta to help spread the word.

“Together we can make the workplace better for those living with cancer and make a positive impact on people’s lives,” said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart in a statement.

The fully integrated “Monday” campaign is supported by $100 million in media donated by partners including Disney/ABC, NBCU, Warner Bros Discovery, Paramount, Fox, Roku, Snap, iHeart, Tiktok, YouTube, NCM, Screenvision, Clear Channel, Lamar, Zeta and Meta, which are contributing one billion impressions. Publicis Groupe will also contribute by becoming the first holding company to purchase and invest in a Super Bowl spot, a spot that will run regionally in the New York market, which is backed by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Other campaign elements include a takeover in Times Square on World Cancer Day, along with digital experiences, cinema advertising and influencer marketing.

Publicis hopes that the campaign will help change the culture of silence and fear among those who are battling cancer.

“We’re hoping that a year from now, we go back to Davos. We will have our metrics, and not only have we changed the policies and a thousand companies have joined us, but the we have created a culture of a little more openness, an empathetic recovery-forward culture in a lot of companies,” said Serrano.