Title | PATTERNS OF HOPE |
Brand | HAGAR SINGAPORE |
Product / Service | RESCUE AND REHABILITATION OF TRAFFICKED VICTIMS |
Category | G04. Social Behaviour & Cultural Insight |
Entrant | DDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE |
Idea Creation | DDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE |
Media Placement | DDB SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE |
PR | BLESSED INC ASIA Singapore, SINGAPORE |
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 |
“Patterns of Hope” engaged the target audience – women on the street – in an unexpected way through design. The result was increased brand affinity, as well as spiked interest and action on the issue of sex trafficking.
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.
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.
Our strategy was two-pronged. Firstly, we made use of clever design to get past the language barrier that limited our outreach. Secondly, we created a powerful, unstoppable network of help that every woman could easily be a part of. This network can reach out to victims who may be anywhere. With this strategy in mind, we knew our choice of media couldn’t be within the traditional media landscape, or even the digital and social space. Instead, we decided to use something that our target audience, every woman on the street, possesses and carries around everywhere: a scarf.
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.
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.
Most of us are familiar with the Roman alphabet. It is widely used worldwide, except in countries where the majority of the victims come from. Their languages are based on scripts instead. For a non-native speaker, the written form of these languages actually resembles patterns. But for native speakers, including the victims, they can quickly read everything as words.