Sun Bum Protects 50 Statues Across The U.S. To Raise Skin Cancer Awareness With "We Are Not Bananas" Campaign

The Brand Commits to Protecting Communities Through TikTok, Target and Dermatologist Partners

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Apr 29, 2021, 08:00 ET

SAN DIEGO, April 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This sun season, Sun Bum will roll out a series of summer protection campaigns all centered around protecting those that live and love in the sun. Starting in May for Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Sun Bum unveils their We Are Not Bananas campaign to help spread the message that many forms of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide, is actually preventable. On May 1st, Sun Bum will cover 50 statues across the country in banana suits because bananas are protected head to toe, just like we should be, and statues can't protect themselves from the sun, but you can. The brand feels it's not bananas to think we can prevent sun damage that can lead to skin cancer, and the more awareness they raise, the more people can protect themselves from the sun. An evolution from their #BananaSuitChallenge, the campaign takes a non-scare tactic approach to spread awareness and sun protection education.

SUN BUM PROTECTS 50 STATUES ACROSS THE U.S. TO RAISE SKIN CANCER AWARENESS WITH “WE ARE NOT BANANAS” CAMPAIGN

The incredible range of statues, sculptures and personalities that will bring attention to this worthy cause include Kelly Slater in Cocoa Beach, Fl., Dolly Parton in Sevierville, TN., and Inner Dialogue in New York City. Hollywood costume designer Erik Dixon led a team of pattern makers, tailors and local seamstresses in each state to create custom banana suits, with over 20 fittings per statue, and a lot of trial and error. Through hundreds of conversations with public art commissions, government agencies, city mayors, museum curators and more, all 50 states came together to support, scale and inspire conversation and education around skin cancer.

"1 in 5 people will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Sun Bum has always been a source of positivity and community, looking for ways to protect the ones we love, no matter what the circumstance," says Russell Radebaugh, Vice President Marketing & International at Sun Bum. "With our non-scare tactic approach of dressing statues in banana suits, we hope to create great awareness and virality to change the stat to 1 in 6 and remind everyone to use sunscreen daily."

Sun Bum will also take their awareness and education efforts to TikTok and Target. Sun Bum has emerged as a Gen Z favorite on TikTok, with #sunbum organically garnering over 25 million views before even formally entering the platform in April 2021. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, on average, a person's risk for melanoma doubles if they have had more than five sunburns, but just one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person's changes of developing melanoma later in life.* To ensure good sunscreen habits are formed at a young age, Sun Bum will be creating content on TikTok with original music that captures Gen Z's attention in a unique and engaging way - encouraging them to live and love in the sun, while staying protected. Sum Bum will also launch The Summer of Love Collection exclusively at Target this May to stoke out their community, be a source of love, and make sunscreen even more accessible. The line of seven SPF products will showcase the universal symbol of love, a heart, on the packaging in place of the brand's iconic Sonny logo.

Ultimately, Sun Bum believes the best type of sunscreen is the one that you will use. Regular daily use of an SPF 15 or higher reduces the risk of developing melanoma by 50 percent.* They've expanded existing offerings to include new formulas, formats, and categories to ensure everyone has something that works for them. Original SPF 45 Sunscreen Face Mist, Original SPF 70 Sunscreen Face Lotion and Original SPF 15 Sunscreen Hand Cream all join the brand's original and mineral sunscreen portfolio at sunbum.com, surf shops, Ulta Beauty, Target, Amazon and CVS.

Lastly, two new board-certified Dermatologists have joined the Sun Bum family and community, Dr. Angelo Landriscina and Dr. Adeline Kikam, to provide education on skin health, skin cancer prevention, share trustworthy information and recommendations as well as drive awareness about wearing sunscreen daily to protect from damaging UVA/UVB rays. While there are things you can do to prevent skin cancer, it's also important to know your spots and get annual skin exams with a board-certified dermatologist as most skin cancers can be successfully treated if caught early. Dr. Landriscina and Dr. Kikam will work hand-in-hand with Sun Bum to continue to educate their community on how they can not only prevent but also detect skin cancer early, so everyone can continue to live and love in the sun, safely.

To learn more, please visit SunBum.com. For more information on the We Are Not Bananas Campaign and to view the full list of statues and cities, please visit: https://www.sunbum.com/pages/we-are-not-bananas

*Reference, The Skin Cancer Foundation

About Sun Bum®:
Sun Bum® is a lifestyle company that creates a wide range of premium skin care, hair care, lip care and baby care products. Founded in 2010, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, the brand was created by a group of friends who wanted products for themselves and their families that reflected the essence, aesthetic and socially conscious vibe of their small beach community. Sun Bum® started in surf shops, where it still holds its roots, and was quickly discovered by chic boutiques and luxury hotels before becoming one of the fastest growing brands at Target, Ulta Beauty, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger and other leading retailers around the world.

While the company has gotten much bigger, they insist that they haven't changed. They still take surf breaks, listen to old albums, don't use focus groups, and try to catch the sunset every night. They make products the way they like them and hope you like them too. Learn more at sunbum.com.

SOURCE Sun Bum