Sign in to view
member only content

Spotted: Springwise has already followed various innovations that aim to address the many problems that plague women. This app tells users which streets are safe, according to crowdsourced data. In addition, a connected breast pump offers women privacy and control whilst nursing. Now, a smart dress is helping to provide statistics on sexual harassment in clubs to better protect women in the future.

An ad campaign from Ogilvy Brazil, in partnership with Schweppes, saw four women wearing a smart dress in a club in Brazil. Whenever the women were victims of unwanted touching, the dress used sensors to pick up triggers. It recorded the contact area of the dress, which also lit up to further illustrate the point. The dress sent this data back to a control centre via WiFi. A camera also monitored the women’s movements throughout the night. After being in the club for four hours, the women were collectively groped 157 times.

The data formed the basis of a video of the night, with male reactions to the women’s experiences. Many were horrified, even after stating that they believed women often made up such stories. The aim of the campaign was to prove how widespread such behaviour is and raise awareness of the issues women face. The opening of the video states that 86 percent of Brazilian women face harassment in public.

The dress is not for consumer use, functioning as a tool to underpin the ad campaign.