Nowadays, more and more young people are being exposed to sunbeds in order to get a fake tan. It seems for them that tanning is the latest trend. Ok, we all want to look pretty but getting a fake tan, this has nothing to do with prettiness.
There are some people who admit they are tanaholic and that they do not pay attention on the tremendous consequences, such as skin cancer. Sunbeds which use Ultraviolet light (ULV) can highly cause Malignant Melanoma. Accodring to the Cancer Research UK, this type of cancer is the 6th most common type in UK. More than 8.900 people are diagnosed with this kind of cancer and about 1.700 people end up dying.
After the new Government legislation in England and Wales that invloves the banning of sunbeds' use to young people under 18, the Cancer Research UK launches a PR Awareness Campaign which is created by the digital agency, named Nonsense. The campaign tries to increase awareness and inform adults aged 15-18 through social media. For this reason, a special video has been created and it is being promoted through Facebook, YouTube and various blogs under the name of 'Leatha Face".
The video which has been shot to like a web camera is all about a teenage wannabe rapper,called Leatha Face. He expresses his beliefs about tanning by rapping rhymes. Furthermore, he claims that by tanning he feels special and different in contrast with the other rappers. In this video, a great emphasis is given to his friends who warn him about both his addiction to tanning and the health issues that can arise because of the sunbed use (such as skin cancer and skin ageing). It has been found that if people under 35, use sunbeds, they have a great risk to develop a skin cancer by up 75%.
According to the health campaigns manager of Cancer Research UK, Caroline Cerny, "By creating an engaging video we hope to influence the attitudes of young sunbed users and show them that it's not just the heavy sunbed users who are risking their health and their looks." The video which is being promoted though digital media tries to reach young people and show them that tanning is not a safe solution.
It is ironic how people think that by getting a fake tan they can look better and more attractive; they better look like a premature, old person. They have to realise that every time they are using sunbeds, they are destroying their skin and making it look worse in the long run.
Pictures and sources are taken from:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7567712/Children-banned-from-using-sunbeds-in-new-law.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP46cBoGOm8
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/melanoma/about/melanoma-risks-and-causes
http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/1059841/Cancer-Research-launches-major-PR-campaign-danger-sunbeds/
http://www.sunsmart.org.uk/advice-and-prevention/sunbeds/
http://www.closeronline.co.uk/Dietsandhealth/HealthNews/sunbed-cancer-risk.aspx
http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/healthsafetyguide/E4.htm
I think this video is a great idea, using humour to engage with target publics, through a media that they are comfortable with.
ReplyDeleteI came across a campaign with a similar message a couple of years ago which was quite interesting. This is again utilising digital media but aimed at an older audience. http://www.computertan.com/
Yes this video is a good way of approaching young people since most of them, nowadays, are using social media. When you sent me the link, I could not stop watching the video.I couldn't really believe the way that they are promoting computertan.I had never heard before of that term!
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