Real-time billboards reveal sun damage in UV safety ad

Advertising

The British Skin Foundation has teamed up with Wonderhood Studios to unveil ‘The Burnable Billboard’, a powerful new DOOH (digital out-of-home) campaign warning of the dangers of sun exposure in real time.

The initiative comes as new research reveals 38% of Britons have already been sunburnt this spring, with 31% admitting they “couldn’t be bothered” to use sunscreen and 25% overexposing themselves in pursuit of a tan.

Timed to appear during high UV forecasts, the campaign spans London, Manchester, and Southampton, using Ocean Outdoor’s live data feed to display local UV levels by the second. High-resolution images of healthy skin gradually burn and blister as UV intensity rises.

Ocean’s live data feed, combined with real-time weather sensor data and APIs, powers each screen with hyper-local UV information updated every second.

The creative begins with detailed imagery of healthy skin. As UV levels climb, the visuals evolve to show the skin reddening, burning, and eventually blistering—mirroring the damage caused by sun exposure in real-time.

This effect was created through a partnership with a dermatologist and the technical team at The Gardening.club, who developed an AI model trained to simulate realistic sun damage based on just a few hours of unprotected UV exposure.

Stacey Bird, executive creative director at Wonderhood Studios, said: “This project has been an epic effort from everyone involved. Tad and Indie’s initial idea was so simple and powerful. It’s been fascinating to bring it to life with the power of AI combined with expert human knowledge of the effects of UV on skin types. We’re hoping the campaign will remind Brits that we still need sun protection, even if we think we don’t ever see the sun.”
Lisa Bickerstaffe, head of communications at the British Skin Foundation, said: “The Burnable Billboard provides the public with a powerful visual representation of the harm UV rays can inflict on the skin, even in the UK climate. At the British Skin Foundation, we’re committed to shifting the often-casual mindset around sun safety, that can lead to life threatening conditions such as melanoma skin cancer. By presenting scientific information in such an innovative and creative way, we are able to educate and inform the public on the importance of protecting their skin.”
Ocean Outdoor UK head of marketing Jennifer Bell said: “There is a purity to this idea. It is well thought through and location specific, giving it a valuable, personal relevance to OOH audiences in each vicinity. Our competition judges liked the fact that it happens over a period of time, giving the charity a realistic chance to land a powerful message.”
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