The challenge
Dutch people are increasingly aware of the harmful effects of the sun. We know that between 12 and 3 is the time to apply sunscreen, and we put it on at the beach. That’s good, but it could be better. Because why don’t we think of it at all the other moments?
The brief
Etos wanted to raise awareness about worry-free sunbathing, and claim the role of authority as a drugstore. No easy task for a large commercial player: how do you convey a health message credibly, to audiences that differ greatly from each other?
The strategy
It’s the same sun
The sun that shines on the beach also shines when you walk from the car park to the beach. It is, after all, the same sun. To give that insight weight, we mapped the sun behaviour of Dutch people with consumer research. The findings formed the basis for the entire campaign.
The creation
‘It’s the same sun’ makes people realise, in a light-hearted way, that the sun is also harmful at the unplanned moments: waiting for the bus, on the way to the beach or in the queue for Lowlands. No wagging finger, but a recognisable moment.
The approach
A strategic press approach formed the basis, supported by partnerships with six content creators aimed at parents, young people, festivalgoers and the Dutch public in general. Together with an activation agency, the insight was also turned into live activations at three summer festivals, including Lowlands.
The impact
The campaign generated 35 publications, with a reach of 2.3 million Dutch people. The icing on the cake: a double-page spread in NRC on responsible sun behaviour and the risks of sun damage. Even though Etos is a large commercial player, the drugstore was able to credibly claim the role of authority.
35
Publications
including a double-page spread in NRC
2.3 MLN
Reach
6
Content creators
Internally
The insight proved strong enough to reach beyond PR. Etos adopted ‘The same sun’ in its own summer campaign and carried it through to the shop floor, newsletters, socials and website.
