The Australian sun is not your friend. For the last thirty years or so, Australians have been hearing usually beige (pardon the pun) messages about using sun protection (before that Aussies relished in baking their skin). But it’s summer and either the clarion call of a “sexy” tan or just blithe unconcern are making Aussies play Russian roulette with the sun.
Haven’t You Done Well, director-duo Will&Sej, and agency, SICKDOGWOLFMAN, have teamed up for sun care brand, Slather SPF, to give Australia what it needs. They’ve dared to say bluntly what other sun cream brands and government PSAs wriggle around – The sun is not your friend.
Packed with practical effects, unsavoury characters, and a face melt usually saved for ‘80s horror films, the campaign’s hero film builds on the brand’s anti-category positioning, The sun is not your friend, by presenting ‘the sun’ as a character that, despite our nation’s love for it, doesn’t always have the best intentions when it comes to your skin.
Australia is a giant desert island, sitting under a depleted ozone layer, that gets bombarded with some of the highest UV radiation levels on the planet. And despite this, studies show that fewer than 3 in 10 Australians use sunscreen regularly. Dropping to 1 in 5 when it comes to men. Which has led to men making up the majority of that no.1 skin cancer ranking. The campaign began with two animations and will continue to engage the bare skin brigade, and Australia at large, on the importance of looking after yourself in the sun.
Credits:
Production: Haven’t You Done Well
Directors: Will & Sej
Producers: Tessa Mansfield-Hung & Lauren Nichols
Executive Producers: Georgia Mappin & Tom Rickard
Production Manager & Post Producer: Louise Todd-Smith
2nd AC & Production Assistant: Lucy Bain
DOP: Marcus Cropp
1st AC: Harry Huggins
Gaffer: Corey Clement
Best Boy: Luca Muscato
Sound Recordist: Brendan Muller
Production Designer: Joe Patten
Production Assistant: Max Krywulak
Wardrobe: Brynne Lowen
SFX Makeup: Tania de Ross
Editor: Will & Sej
VFX: Josh Regoli
Colourist: Daniel Witt @ Moodlab
Agency: SICKDOGWOLFMAN
Sound: Rodney Lowe @ Production Alley
