CeraVe Responds to the Rise of Tanning Culture With a First-of-its-Kind Campaign Transforming a College Backyard Into a Sun-Safe Space

Launching today across social platforms, the episodic content series follows Cameron and Dr. Goldman as they transform the backyard space, from demolition through reveal, blending renovation storytelling with dermatologist-backed sun care education.

Bringing Sun Safety to Life
The campaign comes at a time when tanning culture continues to gain momentum. Google Trends shows searches for 'tanning' are at their highest point in five years, while searches for 'tanning oil' have increased by 40%.² This digital behavior translates directly to risky physical habits and sentiment around sun care: more than one-fifth of Gen Z adults prioritize getting a tan over protecting their skin, and 25% openly admit that looking great now is worth looking worse later.³

As tanning culture influences how Gen Z approaches time in the sun, CeraVe believes changing behavior often requires more than simply telling people to wear sunscreen. Instead, the brand set out to create an environment that makes it easier to build healthier sun habits.

On many college campuses, Greek life is an active and engaged community that brings students together outdoors, from recruitment and philanthropy events to game days and everyday socializing. With sorority backyards serving as a hub for many of these moments, CeraVe partnered with the Tri Delta Alpha Eta Chapter in Florida, one of the states with the highest year-round UV exposure, to transform a real outdoor space into a sun-safe environment that makes SPF more accessible and healthier habits easier to build.

Cameron, a licensed contractor and passionate home renovation expert, led the backyard transformation, while Dr. Goldman ensured build decisions were grounded in dermatologist-backed sun safety principles. From increased shade to easily accessible sunscreen, the renovation demonstrates how thoughtful environmental changes can help make sun protection feel like a natural part of everyday campus life.

"I've renovated a lot of spaces over the years, but this one had a bigger purpose," said Tyler Cameron. "Partnering with CeraVe gave me the opportunity to do what I love — transform a space — while helping create something that could have a real impact on how Gen Z thinks about sun protection. We wanted to build a backyard students would want to spend time in, where healthier habits become part of the experience."

From added shade to a custom sunscreen station, every addition was designed with healthier outdoor living in mind. Highlights of the backyard renovation include:

• A statement pergola that anchors the backyard, transforming an underutilized, sun-drenched lawn into a shaded destination students will actually want to spend time in.
• An easy-access CeraVe SPF station stocked with Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, making sun protection a seamless part of every day and outdoor moments.
• Custom, Delta Delta Delta letters featuring UV-reactive material that changes color in the sun, serving as a visual reminder to apply SPF before spending time outdoors.
• Integrated sun-smart features, including UV-meters that signal when UV rays are high, acting as a reminder to students to apply (and reapply) SPF, even on seemingly cloudy days.
• A refreshed landscape with mature greenery strategically placed to increase natural shade while bringing new life to the backyard.
• Custom UPF fabric awnings that extend sun protection beyond the backyard, helping create cooler, more comfortable spaces, even indoors.

"As we watched trends like 'tanmaxxing' and 'UV index hacking' surface, we saw an opportunity to change the conversation around sun care," said Esther Garcia, U.S. Brand General Manager, CeraVe. "We didn't want to add another warning to the conversation. We wanted to build something tangible with Gen Z that shows healthy sun habits can fit naturally into everyday life. From redesigning an outdoor space to introducing our new CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, created to help minimize white cast, we're helping remove barriers to healthier SPF habits."

The SPF Behind the Build
At the center of the campaign is the new CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, featuring broad-spectrum SPF 50 UVA and UVB protection designed to help minimize white cast, one of the biggest barriers to everyday mineral sunscreen use.

Formulated with three essential ceramides, patented MVE Technology, niacinamide and glycerin, the lightweight formula helps restore the skin barrier while providing comfortable, everyday sun protection for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.

"The best sunscreen is the one you'll actually wear every day," said Dr. Goldman. "For a generation navigating so much sun care misinformation online, it's more important than ever to have products that make healthy choices feel simple. That's why I'm excited about CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 and this campaign, we're helping to build better sun habits by making daily SPF feel more approachable for college students and beyond."

CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 is available now for SRP of $16.99 at leading retailers.

Follow the Transformation
Throughout the summer, viewers can follow Cameron and Dr. Goldman as they transform the Tri Delta Alpha Eta Chapter backyard into a sun-safe outdoor destination.

Beginning with a symbolic "Tantrum" demolition of a tanning bed, which you can watch here, the series follows the backyard transformation from demolition through the final reveal and Tri Delta members' first reactions. Along the way, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the renovation, plus dermatologist-backed tips for building healthier sun habits into your everyday routine.

Follow @CeraVe on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to watch the campaign unfold, discover dermatologist-backed sun care education and learn how NEW CeraVe Invisible Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 can help make daily broad-spectrum SPF protection part of your everyday routine.

About CeraVe
Founded in 2005 with a mission to provide therapeutic skincare for all, CeraVe creates products developed with dermatologists to restore and maintain the skin's natural barrier. All CeraVe formulas are enriched with three skin-identical ceramides (EOP, NP, AP), with select products featuring MVE Technology for controlled, long-lasting hydration. CeraVe is the #1 dermatologist-recommended skincare brand in the US¹ and is recommended by over 90,000 dermatologists worldwide 22. It is now available in over 100 countries across the globe. For more information, visit the brand on Facebook (@ceraveusa), Instagram (@cerave), TikTok (@cerave), X (@cerave), or visit www.cerave.com.

1 IQVIA, ProVoice Survey, rolling 12-month data as of December 2025
2 Data sourced from Google Trends (google.com)
3 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)

SOURCE CeraVe