Wear sunscreen. It's a pretty simple message. Repeat often and people should respond. But rising skin cancer rates in the U.S. suggest that the message is not being received.
Neutrogena has decided to take a different approach.
On April 27, they will release a new documentary short produced by Kerry Washington called "In The Sun."
Neutrogena believes that using long-form content and storytelling will lead to a positive behavior change. The film highlights seven patient stories showcasing storylines most people aren't familiar with - like the fact that people of color are still at risk for skin cancer.
You can watch the trailer here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjhzJgXTbhc
And here's a link to the website so you can learn more...
It's an interesting idea.
What persuasion techniques is the film employing? What personality types are likely to respond?
Do you watch documentary shorts? Or do you prefer shorter communications?
Myths about harmful effects of sunscreen ranging from "blocking vitamin D absorption" to "causing cancer" are all over the internet and social media. Can we persuade people to wear sunscreen without debunking them?
Finally, why don't people wear sunscreen? And what motivates you to wear sunscreen?
Mahoney, S. (2021, April 5) To Fight Skin Cancer, J&J's Neutrogena Makes Movies. mediapost.com. Retrieved April 5, 2021, from https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/362011/to-fight-skin-cancer-jjs-neutrogena-makes-movie.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=121944&hashid=ybq2buULrntyGS6NfbELk0afrrI
8 comments:
This short documentary is very well-made. It persuaded me to wear sunscreen again from tomorrow. Actually, I haven’t worn sunscreen for a long time because my eyes become teary and red whenever I wear sunscreen. And sometimes, I feel extremely uncomfortable pain in my eyes. I have tried over 20 different types of sunscreen, but I was not able to find one that doesn’t make my eyes feel pain. So I just gave up on finding a proper sunscreen and completely forgot to wear sunscreen for a long time, but after watching the trailer, I feel I should not stop finding a fine sunscreen. And I’ll consider buying a Neutrogena one as first. If I just saw a single picture ad and the ad describes you have to wear sunscreen, I might ignore the ad, but this trailer video looks more sincere about what they want to talk about, and it doesn’t feel like an ad much, so I feel more comfortable to accept their message. I know the purpose of this documentary; in the end, they want to sell their sunscreen, but with the sincere storytelling, I am persuaded easily by them and feel like this company really concerns people who get skin cancer by sunlight and want to solve this problem. I feel a very positive impression of the brand now. I can’t wait to watch the full video on April 27. -Hanjo Mok-
Through storytelling, the film brings in a personal perspective with the stories of the patients bringing in familiarity. In this case, there is a significant outline of lives that the audience can relate to and thus encouraging them to understand the content. It is very convincing and sincere as it brings forward the required message of the importance of sunscreen. The main personality types to respond to this are those defined by being responsive and responsible, practical and realistic, idealistic and accepting, as they would greatly understand what is being communicated here.
Personally, I like watching documentary shorts because they bring into perspective real life stories instead of the shorter communications. They focus the storylines on real happenings which then define what happens in our daily lives. However, I think it would be hard to debunk the myths about the harmful effects of sunscreen given that the rates of cancer have been clearly shared across the internet and social media. This creates a notion of fear of the disease rather than looking for the protection of the skin from the effects of the sun. In this way, fewer people wear sunscreen because they fear that the harmful effects will be more devastating to their health. On my part, I only wear sunscreen when I go to the beach, and that is may be twice a year as I sunbathe. Therefore, by rarely using it, I am not necessarily afraid of it.
I think that the best persuasion technique that is being used is that a story is being told that many people can relate to. The fact that Kerry Washington is involved in the narrative implies that they are attempting to influence the 'S' type personalities by utilizing a celebrity influence over the masses. Documentaries, in general, are my favorite thing to watch on television because I enjoy an in-depth form of learning about any subject. Additionally, I think it is more effective to debunk false information first, then substitute the truth to better persuade people to wear sunscreen. Most people do not feel that they actually need to wear sunscreen unless they are going somewhere extremely hot, or if more of their body is going to be exposed. This is especially true of darker complected people. Furthermore, I am one of those who do not wear sunscreen unless I am at the beach or in a desert area. After all, I never felt that I needed it because I did not get sunburnt easily. I never thought about its cancerous effects.
I agree with Marcus that Neutrogena is trying to influence S types by using their face of the brand to tell consumers how important sunscreen is. I think the video does a good job of showing a broad range of people of different ages, races, and backgrounds who all have experience with sun damage. If there is not someone like you in that video, there is certainly someone like a person you care about.
I enjoy long documentaries, however, I always look at who funded the doc since it is easy to be swayed and I want impartial information!
I always wear a high SPF on my face, even on days when I do not leave the house much. I think a lot of people do not wear sunscreen since it is a pain to put on. Like Hanjo said it stings, it can be greasy, slimy, and it is a hassle to reapply- especially if you already have on makeup. I wear sunscreen for a multitude of reasons: my skin is the #1 area for signs of aging, I'm very fair-skinned and sensitive to the sun, and skin cancer runs in my family! Every doctor I have seen asks about sunscreen usage- even my hairdresser recommends that people spray the part of their scalp that shows with some SPF! My vet also recommends it for my dog's black nose!
I would be interested in watching long form videos. It happens to me often when I am on youtube and watch the ads before my videos. If they are interesting product videos I will definitely watch them. In terms of watching long form skin care videos I can't say I would be interested. I also would rather here the information from a doctor than a celebrity. I think this video does a good job of hitting every demographic but I would not have watched it if it wasn't for this class.
I wear sunscreen now more often because of the history of skin cancer in my family and the warnings from my doctor. They also have improved the sunscreen options, like face lotions, sprayable options, non-stick and oil free. I think that has done more for usage and will do more in the future for sunscreen usage than marketing will.
My family doctor started telling me to wear sunscreen since I was little, and I always remember to put on sunscreen in my daily routine. I believe putting on sunscreen is a simple thing to remember. However, friends around me often told me they never put on sunscreen. The film Neutrogena puts out uses storytelling and real people stories as persuasion techniques, I believe people with higher education and willing to accept doctor's advice will be more persuaded by this film.
I personally prefer shorter communications more, and I believe that all younger adults prefer shorter communications, this is why TikTok became popular in younger generations.
What motivates me to wear sunscreen is because of Asian culture, in Asian culture, people like to have pale and clean skin. This is different from the U.S. and European culture. People nowadays want to get tan and freckles because this is the trend in U.S. and European. This is one of the reason people don't like to wear sunscreen.
Belle Zhao
The persuasion techniques used in the film were repetition, testimonial, and emotional appeal.
The clip continued to show people in different stages of life being active and enjoying outdoor activities in the sun. These testimonies were from a mom, a small kid, a teenager, and an older gentleman about how they didn’t know about the damaging effects of the sun and the importance of sunscreen until it was too late. Their testimonies appealed to the audience emotionally because almost every testimony included them with their doctor, being scanned/checked and/or after a diagnosis, and learning what effects the sun actually took on their skin.
I’m okay with documentary short or shorter communications. Also, I'd use the following persuasive techniques for using sunscreen:
Testimonials – From people who have developed skin cancer and how their lives have changed as a result of this diagnosis
Emotional appeal – Images of what skin cancer looks and feels like
Expert Option – From doctors and other health care professions
People don’t wear sunblock because they “believe” it is too much of a hassle to apply it, and reapply after swimming or other rigorous activities. Also, many sunblocks leave a white pasty film on the skin which many people find unappealing.
My motivation for wearing sunscreen was a trip to Cancun, Mexico (about 20 years ago) that almost landed me in the hospital. My friends and I were out on the beach all day in the sun. The skies were overcast so I thought I was safe. PLUS, my caramel skin tone lead me to “believe“ that I’d be okay without sunscreen, right? WRONG! Fast-forward the next morning, I woke up at around 4 am screaming in pain because my entire body felt like it was on fire! I too scared to go to a hospital and in so much pain, I spent the rest of the trip (5 days!) in my room, completely covered in Aloe Vera gel. That was one of the worst experiences ever. So, from then on, I always wear sunscreen. Even at home in the city, out and about. Better safe than sorry. :)
Using Kerry Washington as an authority figure who is trustworthy because she appears flawless to us from being on TV is the right choice Neutrogena chose to convey to viewers the importance of their message. I agree with others that the S-type personality will most likely respond because they are the most sympathetic consumer who marketers can depend on to make purchase steady purchase decisions.
I like to watch documentary shorts because they are informative, and they get to the point precisely with messaging, making it easier for me, the viewer, to understand. Although myths about sunscreen exist, I think people may still be persuaded to wear it is portrayed as "something cool" If sunscreen can fall into a tribe - or become its own tribe, consumers will follow trends. People don't wear sunscreen because they enjoy the sun too much, or they don't live in a place where the sun is prevalent year-round, or they are completely unaware of the damage it may cause to your skin.
Honestly, my motivation to wear sunscreen is by others telling me to wear it because the sun is harmful. I wouldn't opt to wear it otherwise. Although, this video has changed my perspective.
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