"Practice Safe Sun Campaign"

By: Katy Costello

Cosmopolitan Magazine launched their "Practice Safe Sun" campaign in 2006 in order to make women aware of the dangers of unprotected UV exposure. The goal of the campaign is to caution young women about the relation of such exposure and the risk of getting skin cancer. Cosmo uses a number of tactics in order to get their message out and promote women's health.

The magazine teamed up with a nonprofit organization, the Melanoma Research Foundation, with hopes of making a difference and fighting this deadly form of skin cancer. MRF is an organization committed to increasing awareness about Melanoma and helping to find a cure. Cosmo promotes a fashionable bracelet that one will receive after donating $10 to the foundation. If someone makes a $25 donation, three bracelets will be sent in return. Young women will be attracted to the cause with an incentive such as a stylish bracelet that is promoted in the magazine and the Web site. Cosmo has a major focus on the dangers of indoor tanning, because many of their readers today partake in it. The sections in the magazine dedicated to the "Practice Safe Sun" campaign include pictures and quotes from different celebrities who have taken the pledge not to tan. Because so many young women admire these celebrities, the impact could potentially be very large. If more and more celebrities are contributing to the campaign and taking the pledge not to tan, it could greatly influence those women who look up to them.

Indoor tanning and unprotected UV exposure has been a growing problem among young women today. The "Practice Safe Sun" campaign is a great cause that implements clever tactics to increase awareness of the risks that come along with tanning. Not only does the campaign aim to make these dangers more known, but at the same time, it is helping a foundation with a great cause.

The image on this post was retrieved from http://www.firstgiving.com/cosmopolitan