2018 Winners & Shortlists

LIFE SAVING SCARECROW

Short List
BrandVARUNA PUMPS
Product/ServiceAGRICULTURAL PUMPS
EntrantY&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
CategoryInnovative Technology
Idea Creation Y&R DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Additional Company SCARECROW COMMUNICATIONS Mumbai, INDIA

The Campaign

The Life Saving Scarecrow was designed to tackle the issue at its geographical point of impact, rural India, with the express objective of reducing farmer casualties and saving the lives of agricultural workers during the monsoon season. But the Scarecrows function went further than grounding electricity through a lightning rod. As artistic sculptures, the Life Saving Scarecrows also became a source of cultural pride for farmers since they beautifully represented rural farm life. Each piece became a focal cultural point for the villages in which they were installed.

Creative Execution

The 8-foot-tall scarecrows incorporated a lightning rod to channel lightning into the ground and create a safe zone for farmers in the event of a storm. Designed to reflect daily rural life, the Life Saving Scarecrows also became cultural focal points for each village. They became representative of each rural area. The structures themselves were environmentally friendly and created out of recycled scrap metal. Each Scarecrow had a lightning rod, copper coil, copper cable and ground rod to safely earth any lightning strike. By partnering with local authorities, farmers were also educated about how the Scarecrows worked and what they could do to protect themselves during storms.

The Life Saving Scarecrows were 100% effective, with no further no casualties from lightning strikes in the villages it were implemented. Varuna Pumps consolidated its positioning as a conscientious brand dedicated to the wellbeing of the community and CSR initiatives. The cultural impact of the Scarecrows is both significant and ongoing, as Varuna continues with its mission to educate and inspire other brands to implement the project and save thousands of lives across rural India.

The Lifesaving Scarecrows are unique sculptures which became iconic art pieces for the villages, not only protecting farmers crops, but also their lives. The Lifesaving Scarecrow provided a unique solution to a problem that claims thousands of farmers lives every year-lightning strike. The scarecrows which have an important daily role in farmers lives gained greater importance by becoming lightning conductors. The Lifesaving Scarecrows are an amalgamation of art, tech and problem solving. They have a cultural relevance in how they appear and the role they play, but are an innovative solution to a very real problem.

Credits

Name Company Role
Kalpesh Patankar Y&R Dubai Executive Creative Director
Kapil Bhimekar Y&R Dubai Associate Creative Director
Shahir Zag Freelance Copywriter
Zaid Alwan Y&R Dubai Creative Director
Manish Bhatt Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Founder Director
Shrenik Chheda Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Creative Director
Yatin Vaidya Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Creative Team
Prashant Pawar Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Creative Team
Akansha Singh Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Copywriter
Gaurav Vaswani Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Copywriter
Rasika Labde Scarecrow Communications Ltd. Creative Team
Hemant Patel Freelance Location Coordinator
Yogesh Mahida Freelance Sculptor
Bhavesh Kahar Freelance Sculptor
Mahen Solanki Wishful Films Producer
Jayavant Tambre Freelance Sketch Artist