CeraVe is taking on the rise of tan culture and “tanmaxxing” with a new campaign starring Tyler Cameron, the Bachelorette alum and licensed contractor, and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Chloe Goodman.
In the L’Oréal brand’s latest push, the pair pick up their toolbelts to renovate the backyard of the Tri Delta sorority house at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, turning it into a sun-safe space.
The renovation unfolds across a four-episode documentary-style series, launching on social platforms. In the opening episode, Cameron and Dr. Goodman demolish a tanning bed with sledgehammers.
In later episodes, they add features that promote sun protection: a pergola that converts an underused lawn into shaded social space, landscaping for natural shade, and UV meters that alert students when rays peak and it’s time to reapply SPF. CeraVe also installed dispensing stations for its new Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, tying the campaign directly to its new product.
According to Jasteena Gill, svp of marketing at CeraVe US, consumer insight drove the concept. The campaign targets Gen Z’s embrace of tanning and “tanmaxxing.” Google Trends shows “tanning” searches at a five-year high, with “tanning oil” searches up 40%.
“We wanted to create a campaign that wasn’t dictating how Gen Z should operate but rather find a way to integrate ourselves into [their] conversation, habits, and things that already encompass Gen Z life,” Gill said. “That’s where we zeroed in on asking, ‘What can we do at college?’”
Episodes two and three roll out this week, with the finale, revealing the completed backyard, landing August 17.
Meeting Gen Z where they are
Gill said the brand’s decision to create a social-first series followed the data: the tanning and “tanmaxxing” trend lives largely on social media, so meeting Gen Z there was the natural move.
“It was really important for us to be able to share this perspective on sun habits where the conversation is organic,” she said.
CeraVe has built its relationship with Gen Z through dermatologist recommendations, social testimonials, and often being consumers’ first product for acne or eczema. That history made the tanning trend a surprise.
“It was quite alarming to us that a demographic that we’ve been educating and supporting on skin health is also taking to this ‘tanmaxxing’ trend,” Gill said. “That’s how Gen Z and this campaign came together. It found us versus us looking for it.”
