Give me space—and please let me know when you're coming. That's the gist of Sprite's "Knocklace Collection," high-tech jewelry that warns you when others are about to encroach on your personal territory.
After all, you might be in the middle of something best kept private.
Designed for young adults living at home with their parents, each necklace rocks a locket vibe and contains an app that alerts you when mom or dad are nearby.
Ads from AKQA Casa illustrate how it works.
First, we watch a young man feeding baby ducks in his bedroom kiddie pool. That's when dad enters unannounced.
And can't a gal take a bubble bath and play DJ with her fave tunes without mom walking in? That's a no.
The campaign, part of the "Heat Happens" platform, will run across Latin America and jewelry is not up for grabs ... yet.
"The Knocklace Collection comes as a humorous tool to raise awareness of the importance of privacy in a world where everything is overshared and overexposed," says João Gandara, ACD at AKQA. "Knocklaces are being given to influencers who still haven't left their nests. Sprite has invited them to create content sharing their experiences on being watched so closely while entering adulthood. Our main objective is to promote healthy conversations between Gen Z and their parents."
Aluminum used to create the pieces came from recycled Sprite cans. Pay 4 Brain helped create the lockets, which include a sensor that sends notifications if the wearer is close by and will change screens to a safe screen, if need be. A photo can also be placed inside the locket, just like in olden days.
"We had to import devices from China, who produces the best, smallest and most trustful Bluetooth devices," Gandara tells Muse. "We had to handcraft each locket to reach the high standards of the jewelry industry—every piece was meticulously washed, polished and put together with a pre-tested beacon inside. We had to precisely calibrate the radar on the app, so users could get the feeling of the real-time tracking."