Australia’s peak cancer body has issued a strong warning following backlash over a viral Black Friday advertisement from celebrity-endorsed swimwear label Loleia Swimwear, which appeared to glamorise sunburn.
In a firm response to the growing criticism, Cancer Council Australia’s Director of Marketing, Melody Chew, told B&T that the ad highlights a bigger problem: the persistent cultural belief that tanning is attractive or harmless.
“There is no such thing as a safe tan,” Chew said. “It’s concerning to see advertisements like this glamorising burning in the sun, as it encourages behaviours that are putting young Australians’ lives at risk.”
Chew pointed to new research showing a worrying gap between young Australians’ perceptions and the reality of skin cancer risk.
“Research conducted by Cancer Council and the Australian Government found that 1 in 3 young Australians believe it is fine to suntan at their age and 74 per cent believe their risk of getting skin cancer is unlikely,” she said.
“Suntans and sunburns are the visual signs of skin cells in trauma and can lead to deadly skin cancer, so these are worrying figures”.
A Cultural Problem, Not Just A Marketing Misstep
Chew said the responsibility doesn’t sit solely with individuals but with the brands and influencers shaping beauty standards in Australia.
“This is why it is crucial that brands think about how the images they use to sell products can contribute to a culture that normalises and celebrates these attitudes,” she said.
“Glamourising a suntan, irrespective of whether it’s real sunburn, suntan or fake tan, all contributes to pro-sun tanning attitudes, that lead young people to purposefully expose themselves to harmful UV radiation and put themselves at an increased risk of developing skin cancer.”
With skin cancer one of the country’s most preventable yet most common cancers, Chew stressed that “it is important that these attitudes are addressed”.
We Can Shift This Narrative
Chew said the organisation is actively working to counter the trend through the federal-funded End The Trend campaign, targeting young Australians through platforms, brands and personalities they trust.
“This is why we’re working hard to reach young people through targeted messaging, as we need to continue countering dangerous attitudes and behaviours towards suntanning that are putting them at risk of skin cancer,” Chew said.
“We know that we can shift attitudes and behaviours in the sun through integrated marketing campaigns like our End the Trend campaign.”
She said part of the solution is collaboration with influencers, not conflict with those actively perpetuating unsafe practices.
“A key part of our work with End The Trend is mobilising influencers, celebrities and loved brands to support our messaging, so it’s disappointing when we see brands that counter this.”
Chew said the emerging backlash against the Loleia campaign proves Australians are ready for a shift in thinking, and the industry must catch up.
