By taking adding an extra functionality to normal gaming headsets, we created an innovative headset that doesn't just help players communicate with one another, but also protects young gamers online. By adding a voice modifier to the hardware, we're making kids sound older and consequently staving off predators trying to single out children in online gaming matches/lobbies.

We joined voice-modifiers, headsets and a bigger purpose to create something truly innovative. And by doing so, we managed to start a worldwide conversation on gaming safety and get closer to our goal of making parents around the whole world talk about this.

More than 93% of kids play video games. And with the pandemic, children are spending more time in their rooms and, consequently, gaming. Uncoincidentally, reports of online sexual abuse are emerging with unprecedented frequency around the world, with some perpetrators grooming hundreds and even thousands of victims.

The objective was to do something that would help fixing the issue, but also create massive awareness for the cause. And by looking at how children game around the world, we managed to uncover the insight that by speaking into their headsets they were actually making themselves easy targets for predators. Voice-modifiers have been around for ages, so we thought: "why don't we join both pieces of tech to create something unique?"

The campaign budget was 120K AED and most of it was used to produce 100 headsets. We chose to focus on hardware because essentially compatibility was a must.

If you put yourself in a predator’s shoes and imagine a 100-person Fortnite match, you can quickly come to the conclusion that one of the easiest ways to single out young, innocent, approachable players is by their voice. With this in mind, we decided to make a small tweak in the usual gaming headsets and create a one-of-its-kind, innovative product, that modifies children’s voices so they sound significantly older. By doing this, we can mask their ages and identities, stave off predators who are looking for potential victims and transform normal headsets into conversation starters.

We’re 100% aware that the device, alone, doesn’t end the issue. But it has the power to make people debate the issue and bring the subject of gaming safety into news stations, homes, workplaces and so forth.

The campaign lasted for 6 months and was divided into 2 stages: production and implementation. The first stage included the design and production of 100 devices with a long testing and audio calibration process where we auditioned a wide variety of kids and calibrated the headset so we achieved the best sound quality/output possible. This phase started in 16th July, 2020 with the production of 1 prototype and 99 subsequent headsets.

On the 6th of December, all of the headsets were tested and approved by both the production partners and the agency. So, we started the implementation phase where the devices were distributed amongst dozens of influencers/youtubers/media outlets across the region and world, culminating in the exposure of the campaign and the devices themselves.

The ProtectSet works just like a normal gaming headset, only it has a voice-modifier hardware piece in the device's earpiece. So, instead of just taking the player's normal voice over to other players, it actually takes a modified (older-sounding) iteration of the player's voice to the gaming match/lobby, staving off predators from singling them out.

We made sure the device wasn't complex to use and had a plug-and-play functionality so that children wouldn't be able to change settings. We also chose hardware over software to make sure that the device was compatible will all platforms/consoles.

In addition, we were very careful with audio calibration to make sure that the modified voice was sounding as natural as possible and that children voices were indeed made to sound like adult ones.

The goal here was to raise awareness for the cause and make gaming safety a topic of debate amongst parents. And in just 15 days, the initiative gathered impressive results: 800M impressions, 10M USD in earned media, over 2,000 media clippings, and 900 cumulative TV broadcasts in the region and the world.

The device was so well-received by media outlets, the gaming industry and parents that we received a large amount of requests to make more of them. Currently, we're contemplating on making a new batch of devices to send to schools and NGOs that want to extend the "gaming safety" conversation to even more parents and kids.