PATTERNS OF HOPE

TitlePATTERNS OF HOPE
BrandHAGAR SINGAPORE
Product / ServiceRESCUE AND REHABILITATION OF TRAFFICKED VICTIMS
CategoryB02. Promotional Item Design
EntrantDDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Idea Creation DDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Media Placement DDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
PR BLESSED INC ASIA Singapore, SINGAPORE

Credits

Name Company Position
Chris Chiu DDB Group Singapore Group Chief Creative Officer
Melvin Kuek DDB Group Singapore Deputy CEO
Drishti Khemani DDB Group Singapore Art Director
Dunstan Lee DDB Group Singapore Associate Creative Director
Rachel Xu DDB Group Singapore Creative Group Head
Karine Tan DDB Group Singapore Senior Art Director
Rudy Zulkifly DDB Group Singapore Copywriter
Dilys Tan DDB Group Singapore Senior Account Manager
Samuel Wong The Gentle Studio Photographer
Deborah Chia DDB Group Singapore Producer
Fong - Freelance Video Editor

Background

Sex trafficking remains a prevalent problem in Asia, with victims being sold from developing countries to foreign cities. These women, being lowly-educated, can only speak in their native tongue. Thus, they can’t ask for help. Nor do they know who can help them. For Hagar, an NGO that rescues and rehabilitates these victims, this poses a problem. So our task was to connect these victims to the help they needed. As an NGO, Hagar’s budget was limited, so we had to find the most cost-efficient way for our solution.

Describe the creative idea (40% of vote)

The language barrier became the inspiration for the idea instead. Majority of victims come from countries where the languages aren’t based on the Roman alphabet. Instead, their languages are based on scripts that resemble patterns – to a non-native speaker. But victims, being sensitive to their own language, can quickly read them as words. So we translated the message, “You’re not alone. I can help you.” into various native languages. This message was then integrated into design patterns and printed onto an everyday accessory: a scarf. Just by putting on the scarf, an individual on the street becomes a beacon of hope victims can reach out to. Instructions that come with each scarf show buyers how to help victims. For the project, four scarves designs – each bearing a message in a different language – were created by selected famed designers.

Describe the execution (40% of vote)

We started off by translating our message of hope into various languages – based on the countries where most of the victims come from. Thereafter, we invited famed designers – known for their fashion and experimental design – to integrate the messages into patterns. Each scarf design was inspired not just by a language, but also a story of an actual victim. The design patterns were then printed onto silk scarves that were sold via online retail platforms. For the choice of material, we opted for polyester silk – which means the colours are vibrant and the design details stand out. It’s also light and comfortable enough to be worn as an everyday accessory in a tropical climate.

List the results (20% of vote)

Since the launch, the scarves have kick-started conversations and generated debates about the prevalence of sex trafficking in modern-day Asia. Visits to the Hagar website have increased, and we have also received various enquiries by leading fashion retailers who are keen to be stockists and contribute to the project. Most importantly, the scarves have been well-received not just because of the aesthetic value, but also the renewed hope they've created for sex-trafficked victims. Today, with each scarf purchase, we’re not just raising money to fund the work of Hagar, but also growing our powerful network of activists.

Links

Website URL