Become a cancer researcher by downloading our app, Vodafone tells customers
Vodafone is telling its customers they can label themselves as a cancer researcher simply by downloading an app.
The project masterminded for the telco by creative agency J Walter Thompson claims that the Garvan Institute of Medical Research is so short of computing power that it needs to use the processing power of mobile phones while they are being recharged overnight.
The ‘DreamLab’ app has now gone live on Apple and Google’s app stores.
Once the app has been downloaded people are encouraged to change their LinkedIn profiles to “cancer researcher at the DreamLab App”.
According to the Vodafone website: “One of the problems that your phone could solve is comparing a tiny part of genetic information from a breast cancer patient to that of a pancreatic cancer patient. DreamLab conducts a calculation (using a special algorithm) to understand what is similar and different genetically between these two patients.”
DreamLab claims to help cancer research by providing researches with access to “supercomputers” to crunch data, despite not using computers as part of the DreamLab project.
Vodafone will not charge for data costs associated with the app.
The JWT ad to promote the app shows family members of cancer sufferers using the DreamLab app to “make a real difference”.
Campaign credits (as supplied by JWT):
- J. Walter Thompson
- Simon Langley, Executive Creative Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Will Edwards, Creative Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Chris Badger, Creative Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Simon Hayes, Art Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Giles Clayton, Copywriter & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Ana Lynch, Group Account Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- James Ansell, Senior Account Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Rebekah O’Grady, Account Manager & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Carly Yanco, Planning Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Brona Kilkelly, Strategic Planner & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Amanda Slatyer, Producer & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- MEC
- Matt Benning, Group Business Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Mat Linnett, Investment and Activations Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Alisha Imam, C&C Manager & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Tanya Douglas, Senior Digital Manager & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Justine Cowie, Digital Analyst & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- The Pool Collective
- Simon Harsent, Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Cameron Gray, Executive Producer & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Penny O’Brien, Producer & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Webling
- Carlos Guedes – Digital Creative Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Hill+Knowlton Strategies
- Penelope Holloway, Managing Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Helen Reiher, Director & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Emma Miller, Account Manager & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
- Watercolour Artist
- Sarah Hankinson & Cancer Researcher at the DreamLab App
Abigail Dawson was Mumbrella's senior content journalist covering event content. She left Mumbrella to move into an agency role in 2020.
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‘DreamLab claims to help cancer research by providing researches with access to “supercomputers” to crunch data, despite not using computers as part of the DreamLab project.’
Something doesn’t compute, oh wait yes it does. It’s a blatant awards grab for a charity to win lions for jwt and brand love for Vodafail for helping cure cancer.
Gag.
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HUGE stake in the ground. I really really really hope that what’s being sold here is a reality. It goes without saying that anchoring a brand on anything relating to ‘the big C’ is very dangerous territory, but not so much if the claims can be supported…
This, and the Volvo campaign showing near death experiences of children, are the two live campaigns that make me squirm, but not in an ‘only bad’ way.
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Hey Mumbrella
It should go without saying, the big credit that is missing here, is the app developer – b2bcloud / Transpire. app nothing to do with jwt.
They’re credited as app developer on the Dreamlab website, in the ‘who’s behind dreamlab’ section
http://www.vodafone.com.au/foundation/dreamlab
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No chance of winning awards as it’s a direct copy.
https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2015/white-pencil-creativity-for-good/24209/samsung-power-sleep/
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what?
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Vodafone has been doing this since 2015…
All JWT has done is literally make a campaign to shout about it.
“The project masterminded for the telco by creative agency J Walter Thompson”…? Not cool.
Just some reference points:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dreamlab-solve-cancer-while-you-sleep-josh-guest
https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/aws/vodafone-dreamlab-accelerating-cancer-research/
https://www.computerworld.com.au/article/588483/vodafone-backs-smartphone-based-distributed-computing-cancer-research/
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To all of the people that have updated their LinkedIn please don’t… it is tacky AF
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It’s worse than tacky.
It devalues those who actually do cancer research.
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This isn’t JWT. Ogilvy was speaking about this in 2013. Been around for ages.
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If I was thinking of donating $50 to cancer research, is it better than I download the app instead?
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