Denmark Implores Warmer Countries To Help Danish Tourists Prevent Sunburn

Skin cancer is a serious problem for the Danes. So Denmark created a new and very funny public service announcement to help.

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

Citizens of tourist hotspots, Denmark needs your help. Danes love traveling to sunny locales for vacation because Denmark doesn't get a lot of sun. Their top five destinations are Thailand, France, Greece, Spain and Italy.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Here's the problem - the sun has no love for Danes.

PETER DALUM: We are number five in the world with regard to how many skin cancers we get in relation to how many people we are.

CORNISH: That's Peter Dalum. He runs the Danish Sun Safety Campaign at the Danish Cancer Society.

SIEGEL: The high rate of skin cancer among Danes inspired them to start a campaign. The goal - help pasty and pink Daines help themselves this summer with PSAs in Thai...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Speaking Thai).

CORNISH: ...Greek...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Speaking Greek).

SIEGEL: ...Italian...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Speaking Italian).

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

CORNISH: ...Spanish...

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Speaking Spanish).

SIEGEL: ...And French.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Speaking French).

SIEGEL: A stoic announcer behind a desk says Denmark needs your help. We Danes love your country, but there's a problem.

CORNISH: The PSA asks residents of those other countries to help any Dane they may see wandering about in the intense rays of the sun. The announcer suggests offering shade too, and applying sunscreen, while a chorus of sad and sunburnt Danes sing ow.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

UNIDENTIFIED CHOIR: (Singing) Ow. Ow.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Foreign language spoken).

SIEGEL: Peter Dalum says the response to the PSAs has been overwhelmingly positive, especially in Denmark.

DALUM: This is very typical Danish humor, where we are very sarcastic, especially towards ourselves. So we're sort of making fun of the Danes (laughter).

CORNISH: That's Peter Dalum of the Danish Sun Safety Campaign.

SIEGEL: Maybe Danes would be better served visiting Iceland.

(SOUNDBITE OF CHRIS JOSS SONG, "DRINK ME HOT")

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