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In this day and age, connections with the online world are easily made via our smartphones—but truth be told, they are also the bane of the quality time we spend with friends and family.
According research done by half of the BBH Barn 2012 team—made up of Sarah Chan, Rhys Hillman and Scarlett Montanaro—we look at our phones 150 times a day on average: 10% of people under 25 text during sex; 65% of teenagers use their phones while socializing; 24% of people miss out on important moments while busy capturing it on their phones for online sharing.
In an effort to save the art of conversation, and re-engage people with their friends without the constant presence of a smartphone, the team created a toolkit comprised of everyday digital characteristics in tangible form.
The kit, called the ‘Social Rehab’ kit, offers fun tools to let users enjoy real-life social interactions between friends.
These simple-but-effective tools included: Instagram filter glasses, Twitter notecards, Draw Something doodle pads, and ‘Like stickers.
“We have realized so many people today seem to have a smartphone attached to their hands and ignore their friends for their Facebook feeds or Instagram uploads,” Sarah Chan said in a statement. “I can honestly, one day, see us talking to each other in 140 characters. It’s not too far from the truth already, since it seems to be socially acceptable to tweet people who are sitting directly across the table from you!”
“Out message is simple: Connect with life outside of your phone. We want to spark real life social interactions and create enough fun and conversation that people don’t feel the need to awkwardly scroll through their Twitter feeds,” she added.
Users can make their own Social Rehab kit, through a printable template.
As a reminder, a ‘21st Century Cellphone Etiquette’ guide with six simple rules was also created—to help keep ex-social media addicts in check.
[via Social Rehab]