THE LA ROCHE-POSAY UV BOOTH

Worldwide experts in sun protection, La Roche-Posay, were seeking a novel and interactive way to highlight the effects of sun on people’s skin for a planned nationwide tour. The creative team at the Republic of Photography designed and built a one-of-a-kind, automated Ultra Violet photobooth. In a unique technical feat, we developed a booth that used two cameras, one producing a regular booth portrait, the second a UV image displaying the hidden effects of sun damage to your skin. 

Rolled out in the summer of 2014, the UV booth experience was such a hit with users that the following summer we were commissioned to add an additional feature to the bespoke booth. Users were given samples of La Roche-Posay sunscreen, and using our new, specially-adapted UV camera, our innovative and adapted booth surprised them with a second photo, this time visibly revealing the vital protective layer on their skin being provided by the sunscreen. 

Over two summers, the fully-branded UV Booth toured the length and breadth of the UK, from Westfield to the Isle of Wight, appearing at festivals and outdoor shows, alerting users to the dangers of forgetting to slip-slop-slap. 

Representatives and dermatologists from La Roche-Posay conducted their ‘skintelligence’ tests after each UV photoshoot. And as always, the campaign went viral, thanks to our in-built social media facilities. The unforgettable images were tagged #PutYourFaceFirst 

Seamus Ryan