RNID, the Royal National Institute for Deaf People, is the largest charity working to change the world for the UK’s 9 million deaf and hard of hearing people. They run the 'Don't Lose The Music campaign'.
We are exposed to more noise in our daily lives than previous generations. From research carried out with over 1000 young music fans in 2005, it was found that of the 56% of 16-30 year olds who regularly go to clubs and gigs, 76% of them have experienced ringing in their ears and/or dullness of hearing after a night out - the warning signs of permanent hearing damage.
'Don’t Lose the Music' is not about preaching to young people or telling them not to listen to music, and it’s not about reducing noise levels at concert venues or nightclubs. Instead, it aims to advise young people on how to listen to loud music safely. One way to protect hearing is by wearing earplugs. Good quality earplugs don’t block your hearing; they attenuate the sound, which means the decibel level reaching your ear is reduced but most importantly, you can still hear the music you are listening to. RNID believes that this ‘improved sound’ message is more appropriate to the market than ‘protection. If this approach were applied to the product design, branding and marketing of earplugs, more people would use them.
The challenge:
Can you make earplugs a must-have item for music lovers?
RNID wants you to design an earplug that will appeal to 16 to 30 year old music fans. The winning entry will demonstrate a great new design, and will also show how the packaging and marketing of the product will enhance the new product.
The main aim of this project is to investigate whether it is possible to do for earplugs what has been done for spectacles in recent years, and turn a medical product into a desirable one.
To learn more about the project and to find out how to submit your entry read the competition brief PDF.
Submissions deadline: 29th February 2008
tags: 
