One of the most prolific killers in the animal kingdom is neither big nor fierce. We are talking about an animal that is thousand times smaller than the average human being and although it is not poisonous, is extremely toxic: a mosquito. These tiny, and irritating, organisms spread some of the most life-threatening diseases and are responsible for millions of deaths each year.

Although they can be found almost anywhere in the world, the largest mosquito populations live in tropical regions where high humidity conditions sustain their proliferation. These living organisms, labeled by WHO as one of the world’s deadliest animals, continue to grow in population which means that proper protection against these insects is harder and harder to achieve.

There are plenty of mosquito traps that can destroy the developing larvae, but insurance company Manulife Singapore‘s way to stop them from spreading proves to be both effective and aesthetically pleasing. Joining forces with TBWA\Group Singapore, the brand created three different plant pots that are part of the “Life Saving Pots” collection, the world’s first plant containers covered with mosquito-repellent paint.

Within the creative process that brought these flowerpots to life and with the hope to solve an age-old problem, the Singapore-based agency combined art and local traditions with modern technologies. First, to craft the pots’ contours, the creatives asked for help The Dragon Kiln, one of the last surviving wood-fire brick kilns in Singapore.

Then, to boost their spirit and to give them a bold visual identity, the agency contacted the traditional ceramic artist Shee Bee Heo that, armed with over 30 years of experience, painted elegant lines on the vessels. Each of these illustrations complements the Chinese ceramics and traditional drawing style.

The drawings trick the viewers into thinking they are looking at traditional art with local motifs. At first glance, one may think they are admiring the image of a tree or of a blooming flower. At a closer look though, a depiction of fallen mosquitoes is slowly revealed.

“We wanted to get to the root of the problem by preventing the mosquitoes from breeding in homes in the first place. The creation of these Life Saving Pots is a simple and elegant solution that helps Singaporeans to keep their homes safe,” says Kwek-Perroy Li Choo, Chief Customer Officer of Manulife Singapore.

To outline the one-of-a-kind motifs, the artist used a special ink that contains permethrin, a non-toxic insecticide that repels mosquitoes. According to Manulife Singapore, the paint disrupts the nervous systems of the insects, knocking them unconscious when they attempt to land on the plant pots. Thus, the paint prevents mosquitoes from turning your place into their own cozy home.

The life-saving pots aren’t available to the public and because they were distributed in limited numbers to residents of the Punggol neighborhood, an area affected by dengue and Zika outbreaks in recent years, so it’s hard to get an idea of their effectiveness.

However, the website dedicated to this product currently states that all products are sold out, and that the company claims to be preparing a new batch of the pots which can be used as a creative and effective shield against Zika-carrying mosquitoes.

The ad agency documented the meticulous process behind these anti-mosquito ‘devices’ and crafted a two-and-a-half-minute-long video that visually explains how the pots do their magic. Wouldn’t you want to get rid of the little devils this way too?

Credits:

Client: Manulife Singapore

Agency: TBWA\Group Singapore