The Campaign

Transform jade from symbol to actual shield. Jade is a gemstone that is an ancient symbol of protection against evil in Chinese culture all over the world. It is widely worn by Asians everywhere till today. For the first time, it became a literal form of protection against mosquito-borne diseases. By Invite Only designed a special line of jade jewellery that paired jade beads with identical-looking citronella oil-coated beads. Citronella oil is a natural ingredient that repels mosquitoes effectively. The pieces looked exactly like any other beautiful jade jewellery, directly targeting and seamlessly fitting into local everyday behaviour, and they literally protected the women who wore them. By selling it online, in addition to By Invite Only’s brick and mortar boutique, the jewellery was made directly available to women everywhere.

Creative Execution

The jade collection was called Yu Ahn – which in Chinese, literally translates into “safe jade”. Jade has always been a mainstay in women’s everyday accessories, but this was the first time it was being utilised as a mosquito repellent. Each piece in the collection featured authentic jade beads, stainless steel filigree and little jade-coloured citronella beads. Most effective for up to 7 days, the citronella beads were also sold separately in refill packs, so wearers could wear these protective pieces forever. The jewellery was sold across the world online and in By Invite Only’s brick and mortar boutique, reaching as many Asian women as possible so they no longer had to choose between being stylish and being kept safe.

is currently being made. - Yu Ahn's sales was 15% higher as compared to the store's next best seller. - The brand increased its online brand engagement by 20%. - As the race to find a cure for Zika, malaria and dengue continues, for now, Yu Ahn continues to protect everyone in a beautiful and elegant way.

Yu Ahn is the world’s first mosquito repellent jewellery. A jade collection borne out of the insight that while mosquito-borne diseases are rampant in Asia, and people are well aware of this, they still do not carry around physical mosquito repellent. Hence, local jewellery brand, By Invite Only, directly tapped into ongoing ongoing consumer behaviour in local Asian culture - wearing jade as a symbol of protection - to generate instant results. Avoiding the typical reeducation of mosquito borne disease, By Invite Only, made it possible for women in Asia to no longer have to choose between practicality and fashion.

The strategy was to directly place mosquito repellent into the public’s everyday lives. After all, people are well educated of the dangers of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and Zika, yet they are still not taking any proactive protective measures. Jade, on the other hand, is very much alive and worn in today’s local culture. It is not merely another gem – it holds deep traditional meaning in Chinese tradition where jade jewellery is both presented as symbolic gifts of protection against evil to girls, young and old, as well as passed down as treasured pieces in the family. It was the perfect medium to feature jade-coloured citronella beads in a jewellery collection, as both culturally relevant as well as protective measure. By launching the collection online and selected stores, By Invite Only was able to make the pieces available across the world to keep as many people as possible safe.