Slip-Slop-Slap is the iconic and internationally recognized sun protection campaign prominent in Australia during the 1980s. (Wikipedia) The campaign originally consisted of a television commercial in the form of a PSA that featured ‘Sid Seagull’ singing a jingle that urged Australians to Slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen, and slap on a hat. The campaign, which was launched by Cancer Council Victoria in 1980, was created in the effort to help curb the growth of skin cancer and inform citizens how using proper sun protection could aid in the process. Since this campaign was introduced along with advertisements and a jingle, the incidence of the two most common forms of skin cancer in Australia has decreased. However, the incidence of melanoma - the most lethal form of skin cancer - has increased. (Wikipedia)
It is interesting that a public service campaign has helped reduce the risk of skin cancer in such a large country that has an overwhelming number of sunny days. The simple effectiveness of the ad and the cute character no doubt adds to its effectiveness. Since the creation of this campaign (it has been revamped a number of times to make the commercial more modern but still features the slip, slop, slap slogan) some other similar campaigns have been launched hoping to continue the success of slip, slop, slap. One of the other most prevalent ones is sponsored by the New South Wales Government (also in Australia) and is titled ‘The Dark Side of Tanning’ which features small 30 seconds ads that discuss the risk of tanning and how tanning can cause skin cancer (they seem to focus on melanoma). The ads are a lot more graphic than their cheery slip, slop, slap counterpart; they show how tanning can cause a single cell to turn cancerous and the how it can spread throughout the body. It would seem that ‘The Dark Side of Tanning’ campaign would hope to follow in the footsteps of slip, slop, slap and continue to help lower cancer rates, especially the occurrence of the much more fatal melanoma. The experience of more than 25 years of skin cancer prevention in Australia shows broad-based multifaceted public education programs can have an impact on improving a population’s sun protective behaviors and reducing sunburn, a short-term marker of skin cancer risk. (Wikipedia) Hopefully through further action the rate of skin cancers can be reduced throughout the world.
