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Creativity Online

Rate the Ad: The Sound Advice Project: Bracelet

A teen anti-drug campaign turns a parent's words into a bracelet.

Published: Mar 11, 2009
Last time on Rate the Ad, we wanted your opinion on the Recovery Act logo President Barack Obama unveiled last week. The circular logo, an RGB pie of URL, American flag, leaves and gears, will show up on signs for economic stimulus funded projects, so taxpayers can see in the branded light of day where all their money is going. A Chicago design shop, Mode Project, with designers Chris Glass and Aaron Draplin—check out the Talent piece on Draplin in our March issue out next week—created the emblem, as well as another tiger-striped mark for transportation-specific projects.

Rate the Adsters were divided on the logo design. Representing those who aren't fans, commenter "chocodile" thought the emblem looked like Microsoft clip art, while "kiki60" says, "I would have used the logo to represent each stage of the process...at the moment the emblem represents the attempt."

On the other hand, many thought that visually marking Recovery projects was a smart tactic. Commenter "dkosch" says, "I'm not crazy about the TIGER logo but I like the Recovery emblem. It looks as though Obama understands marketing well. People want to know where the money is being spent. Giving people a symbol to label all of the projects is smart business. It gives everyone something to rally around and will provide a tangible memory when looking back at history."

This week, we take a look at an unusual campaign to stem teen drug abuse. Los Angeles-based agency Ground Zero teamed up with The Sound Advice Project to get parents to talk to their kids about drugs with the help of interactive wizardry. To start, parents go to the non-profit's website and record a personal message for their child. The audio is then visualized as a sound wave and converted into a 3D bracelet. Parents can choose the bead and cord colors and then purchase the custom bracelet for $18, so that their words will literally stay with their kids at all times. Do you think teens will wear these bracelets? Will parents want to make them in the first place? Is the Livestrong wristband craze precedent for this campaign? Or, are you just caught up on the fact that The Sound Advice Project is the best pun you've ever heard? Share your thoughts, below.

16 Comments: By meowmeow March 11th, 2009 09:16:09 pm

would be cooler if the bracelet is translatable backwards too, ie the form of the bracelet can be broken down and decoded to track back to the original recording existing in the web space, so as to enhance the (direct) connection between the sound wave and the written message.

By wongdoody March 11th, 2009 11:10:58 pm

Nice. Thoughtful. Cool.

By mimaki March 12th, 2009 11:43:55 am

very cool. this could take off.

i want mine in silver.

By tequila March 12th, 2009 01:17:14 pm

V nice idea.

By wherestheboards March 12th, 2009 01:21:43 pm

I think this is BRILLIANT. A way to cross intimacy and technology with your children. It would be cool to be able to hear the original recording. This is one of many ways to get into your kids world and reassure them how important they are to you always. Brilliant.

By sara_m March 12th, 2009 01:43:06 pm

brilliant. i like the idea of silver as well. excellent work.

By peanutbuttermonkey March 12th, 2009 03:57:00 pm

Awesome. Very cool!!! What a unique way to carry those words.

By cherinoute March 12th, 2009 04:47:46 pm

Brave work in the so called 'brave new world'. It's grounded in a truth, it's innovative and it's really smart.
I wish my parents had something like this to give me.

By stephenchow March 12th, 2009 05:09:26 pm

If we all put 10% of our time spend on making ads to something good like this, we all just might make a difference. Cool idea for a good cause. Fantastic!

By jraddman March 12th, 2009 07:11:02 pm

This is great

By Chillipadi March 12th, 2009 10:39:19 pm

Yes! Teens will wear if everyone wears...it could just be a trendsetter and also teens with bracelet could psychologically feel loved by parents who cares for them. As long as the use of this bracelet is not being "abused". It shall be a good way to bring across to teenagers to stay away from drugs.

By CarlosLopez March 13th, 2009 01:47:05 pm

Very thoughtful and creative

By WPPFritzlander March 16th, 2009 01:29:16 pm

What a lovely use of technology. Flash is uber cool.

By dhard March 16th, 2009 08:10:14 pm

Hey!
There is someone at Ponoko who is doing EXACTLY this but instead of anti drug messages (LAME) he will use any sound clip you give him to make a necklace or bracelet. Either he sold his idea to these people or the shamelessly ripped it off.
see for yourself:

http://www.ponoko.com/showroom/bza/odb-603

By johnboone March 18th, 2009 12:03:56 pm

I think this is one of the coolest ideas I've seen in a while. Yes, it's using existing technology ...but, with a great concept ...and for a good cause. I think many teens will wear it as long as the message is positive ...not preachy. Kids, now more than ever, need to know they are loved and valued.

By razvy23 March 18th, 2009 04:45:20 pm

By my opinion, if this bracelet isn't targeted the first time for the kids, it won't have any success. It is enough for just one of the kids to say that this bracelet is lame, and those who tend to wear it will be marginalised. Of course if the cultural context permitts the bracelets as a common object, well it is a sustainable campaign.

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