CLIENT: OPTUS
CLEVER BUOY
BACKGROUND:
Optus has Australia’s second largest telecommunications network. Our task was to improve consumer awareness and brand perception, by changing the nation's focus from the size of the Optus Network to the amazing things it can do.
AN UNLIKELY OPPORTUNITY:
Australia has four times more fatal shark attacks than any other country. Yet our shark defence methods haven’t changed in over 60 years.
Shark nets - 40% of sharks are caught on the beach side of the nets. The trapping of endangered species and entangling of other marine animals such as whales and dolphins is a major issue.
Aerial patrols - A recent government led inquiry revealed they were “expensive and inefficient”. Only one in eight sharks at patrolled beaches are spotted.
Detection by eye - Lifeguards often rely on eyesight, binoculars and those in the water to raise the alarm. In conditions where every second counts.
Shark cull - In 2013/14 the Western Australia government sanctioned the culling of all large sharks, sparking mass protest from the public. Over 170 large sharks were killed.
What if we could use the power of the Optus Network to help solve one of Australia’s most controversial problems? One that would not only protect our beach goers but also our sharks.
THE IDEA:
A smart ocean buoy that detects sharks and sends instant alerts to lifeguards via the Optus Network.
THE TECH:
Traditionally sharks are difficult to detect using sonar and no accurate detection technology existed anywhere in the world. So we developed a world first detection method specifically calibrated to hunt for the shark’s unique movement and wake. This is how the buoy determines sharks from other large marine life.
Similar to facial recognition technology the Clever Buoy software becomes more accurate with each confirmed detection, as it learns the tiny intricacies of shark’s swimming patterns. Once a shark has been detected, a real-time message is transferred via the Optus Inmarsat satellite to the lifeguard towers. This data is also shared with scientists and researchers in real-time on the Google+ platform.
Clever Buoy systems will be bespoke to every beach. An array of sonar heads are connected on the sea bed to a single buoy. The number of sonar heads depends on the length and shape of the beach. Each sonar head has an angled projection, meaning that the sonar heads overlap to form a complete perimeter.
Clever Buoy’s detection and alarm begins with the sonar head anchored to the seabed. The sonar head scans for objects over 2 metres that match the swimming pattern of a shark (unique to sharks).
A microprocessor inside the buoy autonomously confirms the detection of a shark and sends the data via the Optus Inmarsat satellite to the hardware alarm on shore. This information is also shared with closed circles in Google+. A service message detailing the hygiene of the buoy’s internal diagnostics is sent every 30 minutes.
The Buoy is also backed up by the Optus 4G mobile network incase there’s a fault to the satellite or fixed network.
TESTING:
Clever Buoy has been tested vigorously in both controlled and wild conditions, click the link below to get a more in-depth view of the phases and journey we've been on developing Clever Buoy.
RESULTS:
70m - Combined Social and PR reach
84% positive sentiment towards the Optus brand
1000+ global news stories
$7m earned media
3m+ launch film views
Commercial Clever Buoys now active on beaches in Australia, South Africa and the US
Biggest breakthrough in shark detection technology in over 60 years
"This is not an ad campaign, It’s taking our business to a whole other place. That’s why work like this will change the world."
NATHAN ROSENBERG, OPTUS HEAD OF BRAND.