Women's safety is a burning issue in India.The National Crime Records Bureau of India, reports an incidence of crime against women, every three minutes.This makes families take steps that would be seen as unfair, restrictive and gender biased. Like keeping the movements of the women in the family limited and strictly supervised.The only way to ensure safety seems to be keeping women inside. Girls grow up never having gone outside without an escort - be it the father, brother, mother or grand parents.

Logic would dictate that these conditions are relaxed in the metros. But sadly, this isn't the case. From being dropped to school to coming back home to being taken to tuitions in the evening or anywhere else, a chaperone is always present. Even adult women, working in offices, are extremely careful when commuting to and from their work places. They avoid alleys, dark roads, sometimes even crossing the road and walking on the other side to avoid a potential threat.

More often than not, it is the mother that first installs these limitations and fear in her daughter. Could the mother, now, do the opposite? Could she empower, inspire, encourage her daughter to be strong, independent, fearless?

Could an ordinary hoarding, driven by sharp, fiercely sincere intention, and by harnessing easily-available technology, transform itself into a formidable tool that kept women safe outside?

The Hamam CCTV Hoarding tried to do so. And happily, succeeded.

As a part of the #GoSafeOutside initiative, in collaboration with the Chennai Police, Hamam transformed the most unsafe spots in Chennai into safe spots for women, by simply converting regular hoardings into CCTV surveillance spots. The footage went LIVE 24/7 to the Police Control Room. This acted as a deterrent and gave women the confidence to #GoSafeOutside every day.

We asked a simple question. We came up with an equally simple answer.

With the help of the Chennai Police, we identified and shortlisted the most unsafe spots across Chennai. The spots were chosen on the basis of the number of harassment incidents (eve- teasing, chain snatching, physical abuse) reported in these areas.

Unsurprisingly, these spots were close to women's educational institutions, market places, offices and bus stops.

We took hoarding spaces in these very areas and transformed them, overnight, into CCTV-surveillance-powered safe spots. Across the city of Chennai.

The Hamam CCTV activation was a CSR initiative from the brand, consciously not related to any business agenda. For a brand that enjoys 80% penetration, sales was not the ask.

We were looking to build connections with our TG and that shows up in the way conversations are changing in the city of Chennai. We have started small with a handful of hoardings and bus shelters in a certain parts of the city and while official numbers cannot be quoted, we have been apprised that instances of misconduct have gone down in the areas around the Hamam CCTV implementation.

The authorities have expressed interest in taking this further to other locations.

Hamam, once a heritage brand was losing connect with the new generations of mothers in Tamil Nadu (state in India). These mothers wanted to empower their children, especially girls to step outside the house fearlessly. Not an easy thought given the rising crime against women in India.

Our insight came from a brave mother who said ‘Only if you are brave can you go out. Fear itself comes in the way of going outside alone.’

Thus, #GoSafeOutside - our brand platform to help empower mothers raise a generation of brave children. While the TV campaign promoted self-defence, we knew that the outside world itself needed to change so that women could walk fearlessly.

The CCTV activation idea aims to answer 2 key asks - How do we make it safe for women to step outside without fear? How to deter miscreants and change society, one small corner at a time?

BRAND VALUES

Hamam, a soap brand, has always been the brand of the conscientious mother for generations. But this conscientiousness has transformed from a passive virtue yesterday, to an active energy today. An energy that is progressive, positive, decisive. Hamam, with its relaunch, decided that this was the perfect time to reflect this same quality.

To not merely pay lip service to the Hamam mother. But to actively empower her and her family. To ally with the Mother who has evolved from a passive shield to an Active Enabler for her children.

BRIEF

Societal progress was on the rise, but so were crimes against women. National Crime Records Bureau, reports an incidence of crime against women, every three minutes.

Just as Hamam kept skin safe from dirt and pollution, could it also empower women to defend themselves against the metaphorical dirt in society?

OBJECTIVES

Hamam had kept the people of Tamil Nadu safe for generations. Now it would help them live brave too. Hamam began an initiative. One only a brand used in 8 out of 10 households in TN could have. An initiative to inspire women to go outside. Without fear. With confidence.

To encourage them to #GoSafeOutside