Computer tan hoax fools 30,000 web browsers

A hoax website set up by McCann Erickson for skin cancer charity Skcin that promised people they could get regular tans from their computer using special technology has attracted 30,000 hits in the first 24 hours.

McCann Erickson launched the campaign on behalf of Skcin to raise awareness of the growing threat of skin cancer.
Using print and outdoor ads, street leafleting, PR and digital seeding McCann Erickson and Skcin launched a fake company called ComputerTan, offering people the chance to get regular top-up tans from the comfort of their office desk using “revolutionary new technology”.

The fake ComputerTan.com site allows people to switch on what they expect to be a free tanning session but once the screen has converted to an array of UV bulbs users are confronted with shocking images and facts about skin cancer as well as a link to Skcin’s website for more information.
The hoax launched on February 3 and ran until February 10 when Skcin revealed how many people were enticed into visiting the site with the offer of a free trial of the tanning service via their computer screen.
The charity hoped that the media would play along with the hoax until the later date, but The Sun (UK Newspaper) carried a story explaining who was behind it.
McCann Erickson created an infomercial film fronted by fictional ComputerTan spokeswoman Hannah Yasmin, who tells her audience how they can look “Tan-tastic” and offers a free trial of the service via the website.

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