Studies show that 98% of Korean elders own a television regardless of their financial status. Moreover, turning on the television is usually the first thing they do in the morning. So we decided to use this device and the simple act of switching it on to create a unique signal indicating that the senior person is all right. We called this service 'The Life Saving TV'. We engineered a completely new IP TV set-top box to connect to the television. Whenever the television is turned on or if the television status hasn’t changed for over 24 hours, the box creates a unique signal that sends a message to both a family member and a designated social worker. Thus, they know that the senior person is all right.

We took an integrated approach, including onsite installations, TV commercials, consumer participation through SNS, digital channels and OOH. Our goal was not only to install the Life Saving TV for seniors, but also to raise social awareness on the issue. We uploaded a launch film on YouTube so people could apply for the service. We then installed the set-top box in numerous households in remote areas. We produced a TV commercial to tell the touching stories of these seniors and show the significant changes the Life Saving TV has brought to their lives. Moreover, we created a Facebook page to further engage people online.

It was amazing to see how the simple act of turning on the TV could impact people’s lives. The service helped family members to communicate more often and helped social workers in their daily jobs. Most importantly, seniors have shown significant improvements regarding their state of mind, proving that great technology can influence us on an emotional level.

After the installation of the service, the number of visits has increased by 125%, SMS 300%, calls 400%. Medical reports have shown that seniors’ anxiety levels have dropped by 12% and loneliness levels by 30%. Most importantly, we engaged with consumers in a meaningful way that raised the issue of living-alone seniors to a national level.

Number of visits: 125% increase

Number of SMS: 300% increase

Number of calls: 400% increase

Awarded 2015 Korea PR Award

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