Life is worth Racing for: Creating a bold new route for Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life
Since 1994, more than 10 million people have taken part in Race for Life, raising over £970 million for Cancer Research UK. But after 30 years at the forefront of mass participation events, it felt dated and lacked distinctive brand equity whilst finding itself in an increasingly crowded market.
So, Cancer Research UK came to us in need of a bold relaunch to reframe a legacy brand.
The challenge: Reinvigorating a beloved brand in a crowded space
How do you re-energise a brand that people think they already know?
After 30 years, Race for Life had lost its edge. In a highly competitive category of fundraising events, it struggled to stand out—lost in a sea of similar events, it felt dated, had confusing brand associations and was often mis-attributed to other causes.
To reinvigorate Race for Life and broaden its appeal, Cancer Research UK needed a campaign that could shift outdated perceptions without losing the emotional power that made the event iconic.
Services used
The solution: Research, strategy, and brave creative choices
In close collaboration with Cancer Research UK and its agencies, Basis ran in-depth qualitative research, tested new brand directions, and applied archetype theory to reimagine Race for Life. We uncovered a huge disconnect between outdated perceptions and the emotional depth of the real experience.
From there, our insights helped shape a bold new brand identity — one that is more inclusive, dynamic, and impactful, capturing the true transformational essence of the event.
Then, when two creative campaign routes emerged, we used our Creative Evaluation Framework to support a braver, more emotionally resonant direction: a powerful, single-story ad that captured the true spirit of why people take part.
Together we recognized that this campaign had the kind of creative spark that could elevate Race for Life and support our goal of making it feel inclusive for everyone. It was a bold move, but one that paid off — and the results speak for themselves.
The impact: Deeper connections that move the dial
The campaign launched in January 2024—and has made a huge impact.
- +20% increase in Race for Life income year-on-year.
- +15% in male participants and +19% among 18–35-year-old males.
- Supporting a statistically significant uplift in consideration of Cancer Research UK, now at a two-year high.
Looking ahead: Staying bold, staying relevant.
Race for Life is no longer ‘that women’s event in pink’. It’s now an inclusive, defiant, deeply personal movement that resonates across audiences. With a bold new identity and breakthrough creative, the brand is building momentum—and we’re proud to be helping track and guide its evolution.
