Billboard campaign shows effects of sun damage in real time

Media agency, Wonderhood Studios, has teamed up with the British Skin Foundation for a digital out-of-home (DOOH) campaign titled ‘The Burnable Billboard’, reflecting the effects of sun exposure in real time.

‘The Burnable Billboard’ is the world’s first multiple-location DOOH campaign to tackle the topic.

It follows new research from the British Skin Foundation which reveals that 38% of Brits say they have already been sunburnt during the recent spring weather. A third (31%) admit they “couldn’t be bothered” to apply sunscreen, while 25% say they want to get a tan and overdid it.

According to figures from Cancer Research UK taken in 2024, cases of melanoma in the UK are at an all-time high. While studies show that getting sunburnt just once can triple your risk of getting cancer, reportedly only 27% of Brits are taking proper precautions to protect their skin.

The display starts out with close ups of healthy skin types and tones, but the higher the UV exposure, the more the skin begins to change, burn, and eventually blister in real time.

Using Ocean Outdoor’s live data feed technology, and API and data from weather sensors, the individual DOOH screens are updated with the exact UV level in that location in real time every second.

The visual effect was achieved by collaborating with a dermatologist to understand the science of skin exposure.

Wonderhood also collaborated with a technical team from AI studio, The Gardening.club, who developed an AI model trained to produce realistic depictions of sun damage from unprotected UV exposure.

Tomas Roope, AI technologist and creative director at The Gardening.club, says: “Beginning with studio-captured images of healthy, undamaged skin, we worked closely with a dermatologist to create keyframes illustrating each stage of sun damage.

“Then, using other AI tools, we generated thousands of interpolated frames to illustrate how unprotected skin is damaged by exposure to the sun.”

Timed to appear on days forecast to have particularly high UV levels, the campaign first appeared in high footfall areas in three UK cities on June 19^th, including an all-day takeover of the Meridian Steps at London’s Westfield Stratford City, a three-hour takeover of The Totem in West Quay, Southampton, and The Loop screens in Manchester.

The campaign included scannable QR codes which directed viewers to a British Skin Foundation website offering advice on how to better protect themselves.

The idea was a bronze prize winner in the charity category of Ocean Outdoor’s annual Digital Creative Competition, which seeks out original concepts that “push the boundaries of DOOH”.

Stacey Bird, executive creative director at Wonderhood Studios, says: “This project has been an epic effort from everyone involved.

“The 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, adds: “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.”