SINGAPORE — The Guardian Angel, a personal wearable tech protection device created by JWT Singapore to help women combat harassment, has been shortlisted in Innovation Lions category by the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity.
The inspiration to develop this innovative accessory came from JWT’s discussions with AWARE, a Singapore-based advocacy organisation that works to promote gender equality, including through providing counselling and services to women. By clicking once on their Guardian Angel pendant, a woman can trigger a call to her own phone during an uncomfortable moment, offering her an excuse to break away from a harasser in a shared space such as an office or a bar. In cases of threat to her personal safety, she can hold the button for three seconds to send an SOS text message to a designated number, such as her parents or a friend, to notify them she is in danger. The text message provides coordinates and a Google Map link to her location.
The Guardian Angel is sold online at www.the-guardianangel.com by My Room Retail, a Singaporean retailer, and ten percent of all sales go to AWARE.
This high-profile award, which was introduced to the Cannes Lions festival last year, recognizes breakthrough technology and innovation that may allow brands, technologists and creatives to communicate with their customers in a new way, or stand alone as significant innovation in their own right.
Delegates at the Festival have the unique opportunity to watch the Innovation Lions jury as they watch and deliberate on the presentations of the shortlisted entrants as they take to the stage to showcase their ideas in 10-minute presentations.
“I’m really proud to represent both JWT and Singapore in this category. It is a great encouragement for all of us and hopefully helps redefine the perception of what advertising agencies can or cannot do. Our role is to provide solutions and if it has to be in the form of a product, let’s do it,” said Valerie Cheng, Chief Creative Officer of JWT Singapore.
