FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wolff Unveils First Industry-Wide Public Relations Campaign to Encourage Responsible Tanning
Consumer Targeted Media Relations Program Jumps Out of the Gate with Successful Story Placement
Nashville, TN, November 8, 2002– Wolff System Technology announced a campaign today at the Indoor Tanning Association’s World Expo 2002 to publicize the benefits of tanning and to encourage responsible tanning for consumers who are inclined to use indoor tanning beds.
“The dermatology profession has been waging their own campaign to influence opinion and discourage the use of indoor tanning
equipment as well as sun exposure for many years – without conclusive evidence of a direct link between sunbed use and cancer, said Michael Stepp, president and CEO of Wolff System Technology. Acknowledging the efforts of a decentralized group of industry experts to fight negative articles, Wolff decided to engage a professional media relations expert to communicate the benefits of tanning to receptive members of the press, and to assist in the battle against biased media who don’t research the facts before writing harmful stories that are not fair or balanced.
The campaign is being directed by Precision Communications, an Atlanta-based integrated communications agency. Precision’s work for the cities of Atlanta and Miami, and for Ericsson mobile phones, helped to overcome negative perceptions of their products or image. Precision intends to take advantage of documented research of the benefits of sunlight and UV exposure in this campaign.
Since the inception of the campaign, Wolff’s outreach has resulted or will result in positive, or at least balanced, coverage in Catalina Magazine, Scholastic Choices, Lycos News, NewsAlert, Comtex News Network, This Week in Texas, Canadian Hairdresser, Memphis Health & Fitness and Philadelphia’s Inside Magazine ¯ with a combined reach of nearly 1.5 million readers. The campaign is targeted at consumer beauty, fitness, health, feature and lifestyle publications as well as syndicated writers and networks.
“The media damage over the past 25 years won’t be erased overnight but the industry can not afford to lay in a tanning bed hoping to get tan without lighting the
lamps!” said Daryl Toor, CEO of Precision. “This is just the beginning of a long strategic campaign to balance the negative coverage with some positive stories that will let the consumer make the decision that is right for them.”
Stepp calls upon all industry participants including trade magazines, salon owners, trade associations, and manufacturers & distributors to respond to calls for assistance from Precision that can not only earn the industry positive press, but also result in publicity for all parties involved.
“We all have a vested interest in reducing the impact of negative press and eliminating harmful regulation that changes the perception of our industry into a negative reality,” Stepp added.
About Wolff System Technology
Wolff System was founded by Friedrich Wolff, "the father" of the indoor tanning industry. The company, with patents in 16 countries, is the exclusive licensor of Wolff System certified tanning beds in the United States and Canada. As the leading supplier of
lamps for indoor tanning beds, Wolff has more than 500,000 systems in use worldwide. With licensed Wolff System tanning
equipment, the amount and type of exposure to ultraviolet light is predictable and consistent, unlike outdoor tanning where variables include the time of day, season, cloud cover, and proximity to the equator. For more information, contact 1-800-959-6533 email sales@wolffsys.com or visit www.wolffsystem.com