The Robin Cancer Trust unleashes balls in concert

Testicular cancer is a serious issue. But raising awareness isn’t enough, attention is what truly makes an impact. 

That’s why Munich-based advertising agency David+Martin, in collaboration with Stockholm sound design studio Plan8, created an unconventional campaign for The Robin Cancer Trust that no one will soon forget: Balls in Concert. The highlight? The world’s first MIDI-controller shaped like a scrotum!

Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer among young men between the ages of 15 and 45. The chances of survival? 95% if detected early. Unfortunately, regular self-checks aren’t exactly a priority for most men. During their research, the creatives at David+Martin came across an important insight: even when men are aware they’re in the high-risk group, it rarely changes their behaviour when it comes to self-exams. So Balls in Concert flips the script, targeting the people close enough to their partners, friends, or loved ones to (figuratively speaking) “grab them by the balls.”

The MidiBalls are the world’s first MIDI-controller in the shape of a scrotum, and this is not a joke. “ Quite the opposite,” says Lucas Dresch, Creative Director Art, David+Martin. “We asked ourselves: why does health education always have to be so dry and serious? Why not make it weird, surprising, and fun instead?” Equipped with two highly sensitive pressure sensors that can be operated independently, the MidiBalls allow musicians and DJs to trigger a range of effects by squeezing the “testicles.” With varying pressure, users can change pitch, add vibrato, jump to specific time codes within a song, and much more. This makes the MidiBalls not only a versatile and humorous instrument but also a potential “crown jewel” of any DJ set.

Andreas Daum, Creative Director Copy, David+Martin adds: “The MidiBalls aren’t just a quirky, funny device. Watching someone use them seems to activate the mirror neurons in your brain - you almost feel the squeeze yourself. That fascinated us from the start.”

So, a custom song was needed and that’s where Stephen Paul Taylor aka SynthPopTroubadour came in. The Berlin-based musician with Canadian roots is known for his funky synth sounds, unique outfits, and viral live performances. He composed the track Check Your Balls of course using the MidiBalls as an instrument. The accompanying music video was produced by up-and-coming Munich production house WennDann Films, directed by Fariba Buchheim, with Luis de Maia as Director of Photography. Sound design, mixing, and mastering were handled by Lukas Lehman and his team at VIBE.

Starting in late April, SynthPopTroubadour will be touring Germany with his song and the MidiBalls in tow. So if you want to witness musical history being made, don’t miss it!

So far, the MidiBalls exist only as prototypes. But with help from innovation boutique EXEcute, that’s about to change. A crowdfunding project has been launched to support production. Musicians, DJs, and anyone with a flair for unusual instruments can back the project and get their own pair of MidiBalls. The best part? 100% of the proceeds go to The Robin Cancer Trust to further testicular cancer awareness and education.