The ad depicts a dad covering up his beloved barbecue from the sun before his son points out he should be protecting himself too.
Results from the 2019 Summer Sun Protection Survey (Life in Australia), found males who were sunburnt on summer weekends were more likely than females to report having been burnt on the following specific body parts: Nose (43 per cent compared to females at 24 per cent); ears (28 per cent compared to females at seven per cent); legs (26 per cent compared to females at 13 per cent); back of the knees (12 per cent compared to females at one per cent).
Despite 79 per cent of men surveyed agreeing that if they regularly protected themselves from the sun, they could avoid skin cancer, less than half agreed that sun protection was part of their daily routine (49 per cent).
When it comes to the five recommended forms of sun protection, it was found that when outdoors on summer weekends, less than a third of men slipped on protective clothing, slopped on sunscreen, slapped on a wide-brimmed hat, or sought out shade.
However, about half of men surveyed reported they slid on a pair of sunglasses when heading outside.
Compared to women, it was found that men were worse at protecting themselves.
Cancer Council Victoria’s Prevention Division head Craig Sinclair said the new campaign served as an important reminder for men not to be complacent when it came to protecting their skin.
“As a dad, my first instincts are to protect my family, so I understand how easy it is to forget to show myself the same level of protection,” he said.
“Twice as many men as women die from melanoma each year, demonstrating that we still need that reminder to be SunSmart, especially when males are more likely to spend time outdoors on weekends than females (75 per cent compared to 63 per cent).
“It’s never too late to protect your skin, and sun protection is essential at any age to significantly reduce skin cancer risk.”
SunSmart head Heather Walker urged all Victorians to remember sun protection when venturing out and about this summer.
“Seventy one per cent of men know melanoma kills more men than women, so it's alarming to see them not heeding our advice to cover up and protect themselves,” she said.
“Masks might be coming off outdoors, but sun protection is here to stay.
“As we start to enjoy our outdoor pleasures after lockdown, it’s the perfect time to remind all Victorians to Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek and Slide to protect their skin from damaging UV.
“Check your sunscreen expiry date, invest in a new broad-brimmed hat for the summer, and download the SunSmart app for daily access to the UV levels and sun protection times in your area.”
The campaign will be broadcast across television, radio, and shared across social media.
For more information visit: www.sunsmart.com.au
