Week One EOC: Slip! Slop! Slap!

BOC #1: SLIP! SLOP! SLAP!




In 1981, skin melanoma rates were becoming higher and higher in Australia. Skin cancer was being caused mainly by UV radiation. The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria decided to come up with a campaign encouraging Australians to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays.


The Anti-Cancer Council partnered with an ad agency, a composer, and a designer/animator to create a jingle and short advertisement. The commercial featured cartoon seagull named Sid. Sid sang the catchy jingle:




‘Slip, Slop, Slap!
It sounds like a breeze when you say it like that
Slip, Slop, Slap!
In the sun we always say 'Slip, Slop, Slap!'


Slip, Slop, Slap!
Slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen and slap on a hat
Slip, Slop, Slap!
You can stop skin cancer - say: 'Slip, Slop, Slap!'


The commercial was an immediate hit amongst children and parents. Throughout the decade the Slip! Slop! Slap! advertisements were produced as advertisements as well as community service announcements. The slogan became so popular it is now a part of the Australian language. Slip! Slop! Slap! changed the attitude of sun protection amongst Australians.

Slip! Slap! Slop! reached much success in achieving the dream of the idea. According to the book Fashion Branding Unraveled: The idea is the concept; it's the vision of the brand or the initial dream upon which an entire venture is created. Any product (or service) is meant to solve a problem or satisfy a need. The Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria had a vision - to encourage people to be safe in the sun and to lower the rates of skin cancer. They did just that with their Slip! Slap! Slop! campaign. The book also states: There are two elements, or components, that create a brand's identity: personality and symbols (we can also call these symbols attributes or visual/audio identity). Obviously these two elements work hand in hand and complement each other to form the brand's identity.

I believe Slip! Slap! Slop! was successful because they targeted their advertisement at Children. Doing so, also targeted the children’s parents and so on. Having a catchy slogan and a cute cartoon made the ad appealing towards generally everyone.