The Sun Gets Its Own Horror Movie in Queensland Health Sun Safety Campaign

Queensland Health and CHEP Network Brisbane have today launched a new sun safety campaign in a bid to reduce the risk of skin cancer across the state. 

The campaign has been crafted to resemble a horror film starring Queensland’s sneakiest killer - the sun. A series of trailers and promotional posters tell the story of four friends who embark on a weekend away, only to encounter the dangers of a mysterious killer that sneaks up on them in a range of scenarios. 

Utilising well-known horror tropes including a spooky young girl, a foreboding elderly lady, a bathroom mirror scene and lots of screaming, the campaign is aiming to engage 18 - 34 year olds across the State to better protect themselves from the sun’s damaging UV radiation. For this age group, melanoma is the most diagnosed cancer.. 

The campaign tagline ‘You do the 5. You Survive’, aims to educate young Queenslanders how to be safe in the sun by adopting the slip, slop, slap, seek shade and slide on sunglasses advice that is crucial in protecting your skin from the sun, and reducing your risk of skin cancer.

CHEP Network Brisbane executive creative director, Phil Shearer, said, “Our audience know they need to be sun safe. Unfortunately they’re not putting that into action in their daily behaviour. It’s scary. We knew we had to do something different to engage a notoriously difficult audience.”

“So we made some scary film trailers to get under their advertising radars and remind them that the sun can actually kill.”

The campaign launches today across online video and audio, social media and a range of out-of-home placements. 

For more information about the campaign and how you can reduce your risk of skin cancer, visit qld.gov.au/sunsafety.