Handbag Dyetonator

Background

Snatch thefts were a rampant threat to Malaysian society. In January, 365 cases were reported in the Dang Wangi district of Kuala Lumpur alone. In 2016, snatch thefts increased 36% nationwide.

The most common targets were women walking alone. Victims lost more than their possessions. Sometimes they were injured, or even killed, as a result of the attacks. Yet, because the thieves struck and disappeared fast on motorbikes, they were rarely caught.

Local sportswear brand Ash Be Nimble, which held empowering women at its core, wanted to do something about this increase in crime.

Idea

Working with the agency, the idea was to create the world's first device that marked snatch thieves after they had committed the crime.

The Handbag Dyetonator looked like a typical handbag accessory, but it could be detonated remotely via an SMS from any phone.

It then released coloured dye that marked the thief as well as a smoke flare which made it easy for the police to detect and arrest him.

At the same time as releasing the Handbag Dyetonator in an effort to deter thieves, Ash be Nimble partnered with the National Council of Women's Organisations Malaysia (NCWO) on a petition to call for stricter laws on snatch thefts.

Snatch thefts were on the increase in Malaysia. The solution was a small device that looked like a handbag accessory: the dyetonator.

When a bag got snatched, all the victim had to do was send an SMS message from any phone to the device, which then exploded, releasing a permanent dye as well as a flare.

Results

Over 500 women signed up for dyetonators immediately and another 500 were put on a waiting list.

Word about the device spread through social media, blogs and lifestyle sites, receiving the support of many influencers.

Our Thoughts

If you ever wanted to see exactly how agencies have changed in the last ten years, this little device exemplifies it.

Agencies used to solve problems with media solutions.

Kids stealing handbags? Run a hard-hitting campaign warning them of the consequences of getting caught.

Inevitably, the campaigns seldom worked and bit by bit agencies became marginalised because, quite simply, they simply weren't operating as creative business partners to their clients.

Now here's Ogilvy KL looking to provide a real-world answer to the problem.

It still looks a bit like a prototype to me but if Ash Be Nimble can get thousands or even tens of thousands of these explosive little devices onto the bags of women everywhere, then there is every chance they could be a real deterrent.