That’s just disgusting
Using tanning beds increases the risk of melanoma by 60% for people under 35, and three out of four cases among tanning bed users under 30 can be directly linked to tanning beds. Still, tanning bed use among 15–25-year-olds is rising.
The challenge is that most young people don’t feel threatened. Tanning beds are associated with beauty, status and self-care, reinforced by social media trends like UV chasing and tan lines. The long-term consequences feel distant. The risk feels abstract.
So this campaign takes a different angle.
While young people use tanning beds to look “naturally tanned,” they are also aware that tanning beds are anything but natural — and, when you think about it, kind of gross. Sweat, bacteria, dead skin cells, hair, makeup residue. Other people’s leftovers.
That insight became the creative starting point. The message was turned into a rhythmic poem, performed by young people speaking directly to their peers. One of the performers, influencer Osama, also shared behind-the-scenes content to extend the message organically on social media.
The campaign was launched across social platforms.
