Healthcare & PharmaISDIN × Gearoid McDaid — Sun-Protection Awareness
Renowned Irish surfer Gearoid McDaid fronted an ISDIN SPF-awareness campaign — logo on his board, on beach and in competition.
Overview
The campaign
ISDIN Ireland partnered with Sport Endorse to build skincare and sun-protection awareness through Irish surfer Gearoid McDaid. The activation combined authentic athlete storytelling, a branded surfboard and coordinated Instagram publishing, including Story, Reel and Grid content, while the next Reel was structured as a brand-collaborator post.
The challenge
ISDIN Ireland needed an ambassador whose sporting identity would make skincare and sun-protection communication feel relevant rather than imposed. The partnership had to work in a recognisable real-world setting, support strong brand visibility and give the client content that could live naturally on both the athlete's and the brand's Instagram presence.
The brief therefore called for more than a familiar face. It required an athlete whose daily environment made the subject credible, together with practical coordination of brand assets and publishing requirements.
The Sport Endorse solution
Sport Endorse connected ISDIN Ireland with Gearoid McDaid and coordinated the activation from asset preparation through social publishing. A high-resolution ISDIN logo was supplied for a surfboard sticker and forwarded to Gearoid, turning equipment used in his sport into a visible, distinctive piece of campaign branding.
The resulting content placed ISDIN within Gearoid's authentic surfing context. That physical branding was then supported by Instagram Story, Reel and Grid activity, creating a consistent connection between the athlete, the environment and the campaign message.
ATHLETE FIT & ACTIVATION
Why Gearoid McDaid Was the Right Fit
As an Irish surfer, Gearoid brought the partnership directly into an outdoor sport where sun exposure is a natural consideration. His surfboard also offered a genuine, highly visual brand surface that could appear within content without interrupting the sporting story.
This alignment allowed ISDIN to communicate through the athlete's established identity and environment. The branded board did not operate as a separate advertising prop; it became part of the visual language of the activation and gave the client a memorable brand cue across the social content.
Deliverables
- A Coordinated Brand Presence
- The activation connected physical and digital touchpoints. The surfboard provided immediate visual branding inside Gearoid's sporting world, while the Instagram formats extended that presence through athlete-led storytelling. The collaborator request also strengthened distribution by linking the next Reel directly to the brand's own account.
- This combination gave ISDIN Ireland a practical, credible way to build awareness around skincare and sun protection without relying on generic studio content. The athlete, setting and brand asset all reinforced the same message.
- VERIFIED OUTCOMES
Results
The following results are limited to outputs and feedback directly evidenced in Sport Endorse's HubSpot records. Audience and commercial performance metrics were not captured in the material reviewed.
Client Validation
What the Activation Demonstrated
The activation shows how a carefully matched athlete can make a health-awareness message tangible. Gearoid's outdoor environment provided an authentic foundation; the branded surfboard created a visual device the client valued; and Sport Endorse's asset coordination and collaborator-publishing support connected the physical branding to multi-format Instagram content.
Data Note
Reach, impressions, views, engagement, conversions and sales were not available in the reviewed records and are therefore not reported. Internal commercial terms have also been excluded.
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