Phone snatching is rife in London. According to the BBC, one phone is stolen every 6 minutes in the city. As a result, agency Joan London has launched an awareness campaign, The Unsnatchable, to help re-empower Londoners.

The humorous activation launched on theunsnatchable.com website and across social channels. Joan created a series of phone cases to counter phone thefts. They all use ‘anti-snatch technology’ and are available with very limited stock.

‘The Original Spike Cover’ is a case with long silver spikes that make it difficult to grab. More imaginative designs include ‘The Residing Curse Cover’, which is said to cast; ‘a thousand lives of shame and suffering ‘upon the one who snatches’.

‘The Flaunt Your Gauntlet Cover’ is a case attached to a metal hand. While ‘The Electric Eel Cover’ is designed to employ ‘the high voltage of the deep sea, activated by snatch motion’. According to The Unsnatchable website, these cases are not yet viable, as technology has not caught up with the agency’s ambitions.

Until it does, the campaign has laid out other ways that Londoners can keep their phones safe. These include staying away from the road while walking to avoid snatchers on mopeds. As well as staying alert and listening.

The Unsnatchable campaign also urges consumers to make a note of a phone’s IMEI number. This enables users to disable their device if it is stolen.

Another top tip is to have location tracking technology like Find My iPhone or Find My Device turned on. It advises not to try and get the phone back, but instead to remotely erase any private data, including banking information.

Kirsty Hathaway, Executive Creative Director at Joan London, explained: “While the issue is getting a lot of media traction, the problem persists. We wanted to use creativity as a means to raise awareness and have an impact on this societal issue”.

With outlandish phone cases, Joan brings attention to a real problem that Londoners are facing. Successfully using humour to deliver useful and practical advice to consumers. A light-hearted approach to a common crime, the awareness campaign is an effective instance of how advertising can embrace practical purpose. Raising awareness of a problem, while also giving consumers a well-needed laugh.