Sun Bum has kicked off its first Art Contest to celebrate its foray into a new category—sunscreen for kids. Now through June 9, kids ages 5-12 can submit artwork showcasing their ultimate adventure day with Sonny, Sun Bum’s mascot. For a handful of lucky winners, there’s a trip in August to Sun Bum headquarters in California where they will be celebrated at an in-person experiential event.

The contest rollout, and an out-of-home campaign called Kids Rule, are timed with the release of the new Sun Bum Kids Collection. There are three SKUs in the new line: Kids SPF 50 Clear Sunscreen Face Stick, ($12.49), Kids SPF 50 Clear Sunscreen Spray ($18.49) and Kids SPF 50 Clear Sunscreen Lotion ($17.49).

The trio of products expands Sum Bum’s reach beyond products for adults and babies. Company officials told Happi that the brand received feedback from their community that kids want something made just for them. To that end, the Sun Bum team crafted products with kids in mind—the products all have clear formulas, can be applied to wet or dry skin and have a natural fragrance. They deliver broad-spectrum SPF, are cruelty-, paraben- and gluten-free, and water-resistant (80 minutes). The products are also Hawaii Act 104 Reef Compliant. 

Sun Bum’s efforts to build a relationship with kids is aimed at encouraging safe sun practices at an early age. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, sunburns during childhood or adolescence can increase the odds of developing melanoma later in life. In fact, experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases one's melanoma risk by 80%.

The art contest was inspired by art the Sun Bum team received from their community over the years.

No-Scare Tactics for Year-Round Sun Protection

In May, Sun Bum kicked off a new campaign for skin cancer awareness called Know Your Spots. It is an educational content series with tools (via a new partnership with the Skin Cancer Foundation) to help move the needle on skin cancer. This is a year-round effort for Sun Bum, but will be a big focus this summer, according to the brand.

Previous Sum Bum campaigns relied on no-scare tactics to encourage proper sun protection.

In 2021, its We Are Not Bananas campaign covered 50 statues across the US in banana suits to show consumers that they should be protected from head to toe. In 2014, Sun Bum’s “One Night Stand,” was billed as a “smart and sexy” PSA about sun protection.

Sun Bum, founded in 2010, was acquired by SC Johnson in 2019 for an undisclosed sum.