Melbourne self-tanning brand, The Fox Tan, has been found in breach of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) Code of Ethics for promoting unsafe tanning in a recent TikTok ad.

The advertisement depicted a woman in swimwear running outside with superimposed text stating 'The sun is out and the UV is high let's go tan' and 'I've got the fox tan accelerators'.

The complaints surrounding the ad relate to Section 2.6 of the Code on Health and Safety. The complainants argue that the unsafe tanning depicted in the spot increases the risk of skin cancer. The advertiser, The Fox Tan, did not provide a response to the complaints or the decision.

The Ad Standards Community Panel upheld the complaint, stating the ad encourages harmful sun exposure, which is against prevailing community standards on sun safety. The Panel noted that skin cancer affects a large number of Australians and leads to a high number of deaths every year.

The Panel also pointed out that the audience for the ad is likely to be younger Australians interested in tanning, making the messaging particularly dangerous. Despite the decision, the advertiser has not provided a response.