Stella McCartney is tapping into the quirky, sweet and always informative world of the hit Netflix show, Sex Education, for her brand's seventh annual Breast Cancer Awareness month PSA video.
To educate women — particularly younger fans of the series — on the importance of self-breast examinations, she got the stars of the show to help her teach viewers the "three T's" of a self-check (toilet, teeth, tits!) and even got in on the fun herself.
The new three-minute video kicks off with the cast of Sex Education watching Ella Allets, a character played by McCartney, in an old school informational video sharing incorrect facts and myths about breast health. The Moordale High students, including Aimee Gibbs (played by actress Aimee Lou Wood), Vivienne Odusanya (Chinenye Ezeudu), Rahim (Sami Outalbali), Ruby Matthews (Mimi Keene), Olivia Hanan (Simone Ashley) and Anwar Bakshi (Chaneil Kular) start up their own convo and quickly correct the bogus info they were being taught.
Rahim informs his classmates about the three T's to breast self-screenings: "toilet, teeth and tits" to help women remember to do a check in the morning as part of their getting-ready routines.
"Regular self-checks are so important, and when you're younger it's not always top of mind," McCartney tells PEOPLE exclusively. "With the 'Toilet, Teeth, Tits (TTT)' slogan, we hope to increase awareness, tackle taboo and drive the conversation about early detection so that the younger generation incorporates self-checks in their daily routine."
One reason she wanted to give the PSA a cheeky spin is to truly reach a new span of fans and tap into one of Netflix's biggest hits (it was just renewed for a fourth season).
"Breast cancer is currently the leading cancer causing deaths globally. It is a cruel disease that has painful impacts for many families including my own," McCartney, who lost her mother Linda Louise McCartney to breast cancer in 1998, shares.
"This past year, the pandemic was incredibly challenging to say the least and it's led to a lot of people missing monogram appointments," she continues. "Now more than ever, I feel like we need to bring some levity to the conversation about breast cancer and early self-checks. By partnering with Netflix and the fantastic cast of Sex Education on this campaign, my hope is that we can achieve global reach and spread awareness to younger audiences."
RELATED: Breast Cancer Awareness: Products That Give Back in 2021
As for Ezeudu, who plays Vivienne in the campaign, she says she "jumped at the chance" to be a part of the PSA. "I've always admired Stella McCartney and the ethos of the brand so I am delighted to be on board," Ezeudu tells PEOPLE. "It feels very important to debunk myths surrounding cancer and highlighting the importance of regular self-checks. Early detection and diagnosis are important to fighting and beating cancer."
If you're thinking the clip feels like a scene straight off the show, it nearly is! Ezeudu says she and her castmates worked with Alice Seabright who directed season 2 of Sex Education so "it all felt familiar and it was so fun to shoot."
To coincide with the PSA, McCartney is also releasing a "TTT" tee ($425), with proceeds supporting the Stella McCartney Cares Foundation and the Linda McCartney Centre at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. Plus, the brand will donate one free Louise Listening post-mastectomy bra for every tee purchased.
What's even cooler than the slogan-adorned shirt is that they're made with heat-reactive dye that turns the pale blue color pink when touched — yet another fun reminder for women to complete those three T's every day.
For more on the campaign and self-exams, visit stellamccartney.com.

source