In a country where cloudy skies are often the norm, sun protection might seem like an afterthought. But just one sunburn can triple your risk of skin cancer a fact that remains alarmingly underestimated in the UK, where only 27% of the population consistently protects their skin. To confront this dangerous disconnect, Wonderhood Studios and the British Skin Foundation have teamed up to launch a groundbreaking campaign that quite literally brings the burn to life.
Introducing The Burnable Billboard the world’s first Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) campaign that visually simulates skin burning in real-time, powered by live UV data and a custom AI model trained to mimic the progressive damage caused by sun exposure. This hard-hitting visual is now impossible to ignore, displayed across high-footfall areas in London, Manchester, and Southampton cities where UV dangers often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Developed in collaboration with AI technologist Tomas Roope and creative agency The Gardening.club, the project began with studio-captured images of healthy, undamaged skin. Working closely with dermatologists, the team created keyframes representing each stage of sun damage. Using AI tools, these were transformed into thousands of interpolated frames turning abstract science into a chillingly realistic timeline of skin deterioration under UV exposure.
“Beginning with untouched skin, we built a system that shows what truly happens when you skip sun protection,” said Roope. “The AI doesn’t just simulate—it educates.”
For Wonderhood Studios, this wasn’t just a campaign it was a mission. “It’s been an epic effort,” said Stacey Bird, executive creative director. “The original concept was so simple, yet incredibly powerful. It’s amazing to see how AI and human expertise can come together to deliver a message that sticks.”
But the campaign isn’t just visually compelling it’s scientifically grounded. Lisa Bickerstaffe, head of communications at the British Skin Foundation, reinforced its public health relevance: “The Burnable Billboard gives people a visceral understanding of how dangerous UV exposure can be even in the UK’s unpredictable climate. We want to shift the casual mindset around sun safety and make skin protection second nature.”
And it’s not just the health world taking notice. Ocean Outdoor’s head of marketing, Jennifer Bell, applauded the campaign’s creative impact. “There is a purity to this idea. The slow transformation gives viewers time to absorb the message. It’s location-specific, relevant, and emotionally resonant.”
In an age where attention is scarce, The Burnable Billboard doesn’t just ask for your attention it demands it. By combining real-time data, artistic storytelling, and scientific precision, it makes one thing unmistakably clear: UV rays are invisible, but the damage they cause isn’t.
Protect your skin. Because when the sun burns, so can you.
