The Sunburnt Car
mycar has built its brand around putting people first, using earned-led initiatives to solve real issues affecting Australians on the road. This year, research uncovered a dangerous misconception: 70% of Australians believe they're protected from UV while driving, despite many car windows allowing up to 50% of UVA rays through. With Australians among the world's most frequent drivers, mycar needed a way to make this invisible risk impossible to ignore.
Campaign Overview
The Idea
mycar created the Sunburnt Car, transforming a vehicle interior with hyper-realistic UV-reactive skin that visibly "burned" in sunlight. Developed with an Oscar-winning creature effects studio and a burns surgeon, the installation brought the hidden danger of UV exposure to life.
Launched at Sydney Harbour, the experience generated 168.8 million earned media impressions and drove a 44% uplift in brand consideration. The campaign was extended with UV-sensitive stickers distributed nationwide, and the Sunburnt Car continues to tour Australia, educating drivers about sun safety.
Content
Credits
The campaign was developed in partnership with Odd Studio, the Oscar- and BAFTA-winning prosthetic, creature effects and character design studio, and was informed by Dr Joanneke Maitz, a surgeon-scientist in the Burns and Reconstructive Surgery unit at Concord Hospital in Sydney.
Agency: TBWA\ Eleven Australia
Production: Bolt
Director: Daniel Reisinger
Special Make-up & Creature Effects Company: Odd Studio
Media: Hearts & Science
Awards
Gold Cannes Outdoor Lion
Silver Cannes Industry Craft Lion
Gold Pencil AWARD Awards Experiential Art Direction
Gold Pencil AWARD Awards Experiential Craft
Bronze Pencil AWARD Awards Disease Awareness
Bronze Pencil AWARD Awards Brand Experience