BOC Week: 1 Slip! Slap! Slop!

Australians suffer the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Each year, around 1,200 Australians die from what is an almost totally preventable disease. Everyone can develop skin cancer; however, some people may be at higher risk than others, due to a range of factors.

Australia is exposed to more UV radiation levels than any other country especially during the summer. Australia is located close to the ozone hole over the Antarctic. This means much higher, more severe levels of UV radiation get through to ground level. During summer, the earth's orbit brings Australia closer to the sun than Europe, resulting in an additional seven per cent solar UV intensity. This coupled with their clearer atmospheric conditions, means Australians are exposed to up to 15 per cent more UV than Europeans.
SunSmart adopted its name and mission in 1988. An initiative of The Cancer Council Victoria and supported by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, SunSmart was developed to combat spiraling skin cancer incidence and mortality rates. They created a campaign around the theory Slip! Slap! Slop! They even created a stork bird that became the face of the brand. Since then, attitudes towards tanning and sun protection have changed dramatically. Australians have realized the pitfalls of their sun-loving, outdoor lifestyle and are taking preventative measures to reduce their risk of sun damage and skin cancer. Consequently, skin cancer deaths have slowed and for females, have even started to decline. More Australians are detecting skin cancers early, increasing their chances of surviving the disease.
SunSmart has done a great job of developing and branding themselves to the Australian public. They have shown that slapping on sun screen is cool and protecting themselves from cancer is crucial. They have done a great job of brand marketing to prevent skin cancer!