Directly addressing young adults who still live at home, Sprite recognizes the difficulty of finding solitary moments. Given the economic challenges they face, many young people have delayed leaving home, often due to limited options. To address this, Sprite collaborated with AKQA Casa to create a campaign focused on the Knocklace capsule collection, featuring three jewelry pieces inspired by lockets.
Handcrafted in partnership with Pay 4 Brain, each locket is equipped with a secret technological device seamlessly paired with smartphones. The sensor discreetly sends a notification whenever a Knocklace user breaches the perimeter and automatically switches screens to a "safe screen" if necessary. It indicates only the proximity between the users, without tracking their exact location. Adding an ironic twist, the medallion design allows users to store a special photograph, blending function with sentimentality.
To learn more, we spoke to João Gandara, AKQA Casa's Creative Director.
What was the brief?
Sprite is constantly strengthening its relationship with GenZers, identifying hidden struggles in their lives (so-called "everyday heats" by Sprite) and coming up with a wide range of ways to deal with it and avoid that heat escalating. In this case, The Knocklace Collection comes as a spin-off from the Heat Happens campaign launched previously in 2022, which aimed to help the target to better express themselves in the offline world. The briefing was to position Sprite
Now, the campaign takes another step in this concept and brings a narrative that goes beyond, offering an innovative and fun solution to such an important topic for young adults: privacy in intimate moments.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
This was an open briefing sprint for the whole agency and lots of crazy insights were popping up. But somehow the idea of using the same strategy (tech devices) that parents use to monitor their kids (and of course a lot of time for importante reasons), inverting the logic, stuck with us. Besides being funny, it actually highlighted a real heat that more and more GenZers are having to deal with.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
We wanted it to be a breakthrough project so it started as a collection of many different jewels: rings, earrings, waistbands and, of course, necklaces. But soon we had to deal with the dimensions of the devices so, to make sure it would have a beautiful design and also be comfortable to wear on many occasions, we decided to focus on necklaces. That allowed us to find the perfect name for the project and also add an extra pinch of GenZ humour: making it a locket to hold a special photograph so parents would "have to wear it".
On the communications side, we wanted to approach this sensitive topic without moving away from Sprite's point of view and tone, which was challenging. The euphemisms featured on our online videos brought just the right amount of nonsense we needed to talk about privacy and intimacy without being boring or irritating parents or any authorities.
What was the production process like?
This was a really innovative project and, as any innovative idea, came with many, many challenges. From discovering the right technology to finding the smallest beacons available, from calibrating the radar to finding jewellery designers crazy enough to jump into this project. We had to import devices from China, who produces the best, smallest and most trustful bluetooths devices.
We handcrafted each locket to reach the high standards of the jewellery industry – every piece was meticulously washed, polished and put together with a pre-tested (on Androids and iOS) beacon inside. We precisely calibrated the Radar on the App, so users could get the feeling of the real-time tracking. Adding an extra layer of branding to this whole process, we've also ran an extra mile to make it work using aluminium from recycled Sprite's cans for crafting all pieces from the Knocklace Collection.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
We had to create a high-value jewel. This means refinement, impeccable finishing and a cool visual proposal. So, it was a long handmade process done with great care. The circular motifs stamped on the design are a reference to the drink itself, for instance, but also to radars, which is a crucial element for the idea. In this sense, it was like creating small hints that, in fact, the gift was a "Trojan Horse" for the parents, in a playful tone, of course.
We added other elements such as space to include photos of parents and children as in the old lockets. The result is a casual, comfortable, beautiful, and genderless piece to wear every day. Once the design was developed, we had a great deal of work to produce the collection. We used the aluminium from the Sprite cans themselves as material to create each locket. And for that, the process was: melting the cans in a foundry to shape the product, letting it cool, placing it in the mould, giving it a refinement bath, and sanding. Adding value to each step.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
AKQA Casa developed a brand new app for Sprite exclusively for this project. It's based on Bluetooth technology already available on every smartphone to pair with small beacons imbued in every jewel. But it goes beyond connection: the app also features some cool settings like sending push notifications when the user gets closer and triggers a pop-up link that takes over the screen in cases of emergency – like parents approaching too quickly.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
Testing the app itself required us to keep walking around the agency, turning the radar on and off, checking distances and push notifications, until everything was flawless. Every app update needed us to delete and reinstall all over again.
Many devices were turned on at the same time, causing lots of confusion until we established a logical process for testing. It was a fun process after all.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
The Knocklace Collection is a humorous tool to raise awareness on this topic: the importance of privacy in a world where everything is overshared and overexposed.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
About four months.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We hope this dialogue on the importance of privacy in the digital era and positions the brand as the GenZers' ultimate partner.
