Humans have a paradoxical relationship with the sun. It provides many health benefits and the cosmetic appeal of a tan is taking a long time to disappear. The sun can also trigger a killer. Melanoma kills. Despite being almost 100% curable at stage 1, melanoma is one of the deadliest types of cancer, with over 2,300 deaths each year in the UK alone.

The message that the sun’s potential to be dangerous applies to all outdoor activities – especially sports – still needs to be reinforced. In the UK, Neverland is helping the Melanoma Fund do that with an outdoor campaign that features melanomas in the shape of sportspeople on three of the most common areas where melanomas occur in each skin type.

The campaign, that launched at the beginning of the UK’s summer sports season, urges people to use adequate sun protection and check their skin.

Three of the Melanoma Fund’s Sunguard ambassadors and sporting influencers, Rosie Muggeride, Christian Lawal, and Daniel Whittaker, took part in the shoot, each of whom has a personal relationship with melanoma. The images were shot by awarded photographer James Day, who worked with a skin cancer surgeon to ensure the work was as authentic as possible. Hollywood make-up artist, Melanie Lenihan, created and applied, the “melanomas” to each athlete. Clear Channel donated a large-scale OOH run to support the campaign, that will also run across the Melanoma Fund’s social channels, which includes Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Credits

Client: Melanoma Fund
Chief Executive Officer: Michelle Baker

Creative Agency: Neverland
Executive Creative Directors: Andy Clough & Rich McGrann
Head of Design:Simon Dilks
Designers: Chris Jones & Ben McKay
Head of Production: Amy Coomber
Producer: Olivia Hannigan
Account Director: Conor Lloyd
Account Manager: Gilbert Gyambibi
Photographers: James Day & Paul Blackshaw
Executive Producer: Siobhan Squire

Production: Neverland
Makeup Artists: Melanie Lenihan & Frederica Adorno

Post Production & VFX: Dennis Post Production