The dermatological skincare brand reframes the importance of sun protection through a new kind of sponsorship with “Shadow Sponsor”, a culturally provocative idea

PARIS, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In sports, athletes compete amidst a sea of logos. Sponsorship is everywhere. Logos cover caps, shirts, rackets, and shoes – every surface becomes brand real estate, each one fighting for the audience’s attention.

But there’s one thing that has never been sponsored. One thing that’s been right beside athletes all along: their shadow.

What if shadows could be a reminder to apply sun protection?

That’s the premise behind Shadow Sponsor, the bold new sports sponsorship by La Roche-Posay, created in partnership with the world’s #1 tennis champion Jannik Sinner. The Italian born Sinner, known for his redheaded complexion, has partnered with La Roche-Posay for the past three years to promote the importance of sun protection.

In a category-first move, La Roche-Posay is officially “sponsoring” Jannik Sinner’s shadow – positioning it as the world’s #1 Shadow Ambassador – to transform a simple visual cue into a powerful behavioral trigger for sun protection.

Why shadows?

Because shadows are built-in UV indicators: the shorter and sharper your shadow, the stronger the UV. By anchoring sun safety to a universally visible signal, La Roche-Posay introduces a new mental shortcut: Shadow Protection Factor – a simple mnemonic designed to drive real-world behavior change at scale and turn awareness into instinct.

A NEW KIND OF AMBASSADOR

A first in sports, the creative idea is simple but impactful: If you see your shadow, protect yourself. The unique sponsorship launched with a hero film introducing audiences to an unexpected voice. “I’m the sign the sun’s out. I’m the sign UV is strong. I’m the sign you need protection,” says Sinner’s shadow in the campaign, reframing SPF as an intuitive, always-on habit.

More than a campaign, Shadow Sponsor is an innovative global platform designed for cultural and media amplification. 

From courtside to commutes, the campaign turns the physical world into media, leveraging shadows as both a signal and storytelling device.

With 8 billion people – and 8 billion shadows – the idea is inherently universal. Every moment in the sun becomes an opportunity to act.

“Sponsors spend millions to be seen. La Roche-Posay spent time and energy to protect from what can’t be seen, UV radiation,” said Alexandra Reni Catherine, Global General Manager at La Roche-Posay.

Global skin cancer cases are projected to rise significantly, with melanoma incidence expected to increase by nearly 50% by 2040.* Athletes, especially outdoor athletes, are at a greater risk as they receive significantly higher UV exposure and routinely exceed safe limits.

La Roche-Posay, the life-changing skincare brand recommended by 100,000 dermatologists worldwide, continues its 50-year fight against skin cancer by using creativity to bridge the gap between awareness and action, embedding sun protection into everyday life in a way that feels immediate, personal, and impossible to ignore.

The campaign also showcases La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios range, including UV Pro-Sport and UVMune formulas, engineered for high-intensity activity and extreme conditions – reinforcing the brand’s authority in dermatological sun protection. 

With Shadow Sponsor, La Roche-Posay turns a natural phenomenon into a universal reminder.

La Roche-Posay. Official sponsor of Jannik Sinner’s shadow.
And yours too.

*Statistic provided by the World Health Organization

SOURCE La Roche-Posay