One of the biggest problems South Africa faces is drinking and driving. Over 4500 people die on South Africa`s roads each year.
Four alumni from the University of Johannesburg (UJ), who graduated in 2015, won two silver Loerie awards for their Castrol Magnatec ‘Vuvuliser’ in partnership with Ogilvy & Mather, Cape Town.
The Vuvuliser is a device that combines a vuvuzela and a breathalyser into one product aimed at combating drinking and driving.
UJ Industrial Design Alumni Daniel Carstens, Kirsty Lauren Keet, Jaré Emile Dippenaar and Dumisani Sibusiso Tshabala, founders of design consultancy The Ideamongery, made their mark during Loeries Creative Week 2016. The event started Monday 15 August in Durban and ended Sunday 21 August.
The Loeries Creative Week is an annual event that rewards and inspires both innovation and relevance across all spheres of the brand communication industry in Africa and the Middle East.
Co-winner UJ alumnus Daniel Carstens said: “Our company The Ideamongery is an industrial design consultancy with expertise in bringing innovative ideas to life. The brand communications agency Ogilvy & Mather approached us with an idea for a product for their client Castrol that could be used to generate awareness surrounding the negative impact of drinking and driving.
Ogilvy & Mather recognised the success of the product and entered the campaign in the Loeries awards for 2016.”
Head of the UJ Department of Industrial Design, Mr Angus Campbell said: “The Department is proud that our graduates can finish their BTech in Industrial Design in 2015, form an industrial design consultancy in 2016, and half way through the year win two Silver Loeries, which are one of the most prestigious advertising awards in South Africa!
Such an achievement speaks directly to the skill and quality of students leaving the Department, and validates our approach of producing graduates that are ready for the South African professional design industry.”
The Vuvuliser can be blown in the same fashion as existing vuvuzelas, but with the touch of a button, a breathalyser is activated. The light ring flashes white and then changes to either green or red, indicating if the person is still within the legal blood alcohol limit to drive or not.
Kenny Africa, Western Cape traffic chief said: “The Castrol Magnatec Vuvuliser is a safety initiative, which will make our jobs easier”.
Carstens added: “As four graduates who partnered at the beginning of this year, recognition at such a prestigious event speaks to the skills that we developed during our time studying Industrial Design at UJ. It also serves as a great platform for us to showcase what we can do as a company.”
Carstens concludes: “UJ helped equip us with the problem-solving skills to be able to delve into a project like this. The complex nature of the project meant that we had to develop electronics and new manufacturing processes whilst applying a refined aesthetic inspired by the unique Castrol design language.”
To watch the video of the Castrol Magnatec Vuvuliser follow the link:
