Today, 1 in 8 Australian women will develop breast cancer. While most pink campaigns focus on fundraising, the importance of detecting cancer in its early stages has been largely ignored. Cancer Council NSW wanted a campaign that would change behaviour and inspire women of all ages to self-examine and catch the disease early. It was critical that the campaign had cut-through in the cluttered charity space. Last year, Australian rock diva Chrissy Amphlett, of the Divinyls, died from breast cancer. 'I Touch Myself' was their biggest hit and touched millions of fans around the globe. Released in December 1990, the single reached number 1 on the Australian charts and Top 5 in the US. We created the I Touch Myself Project, transforming a song about female sexuality into an anthem for breast cancer, to once again inspire a generation of women to touch themselves. We brought ten of Australia’s leading female singers together to create a moving music video. From rock goddesses to indie pop sensations, soul singers to sopranos, the singers harmonise in an almost a cappella version of 'I Touch Myself'. The video features vocalists ranging in age from 20s to 60s as a reminder that breast cancer affects women of all ages, shapes and lifestyles. Shot in B&W, the camera gently pans from one woman to the next, all filmed naked from the shoulders up as they sing sections of the song. At the end, the camera pans onto a sensitive reveal of a topless breast cancer survivor who opted, at age 27, to undergo a preventive double mastectomy. A simple and poignant super fades up: Touch Yourself. The project was launched for the anniversary of Chrissy’s death and is supported by a content-rich website that encourages women to self-examine while listening to their favourite singer's mix.
THE DIVAS: Deborah Conway, Patricia Amphlett, Kate Ceberano, Sarah Blasko, Katie Noonan, Sarah Mcleod, Megan Washington, Suze Demarchi, Connie Mitchell & Olivia Newton-John.