Cheil Spain’s AI ‘Unfear’ App Picks up an Historic Double Grand Prix Win at Eurobest 2023

Cheil Spain is celebrating a host of wins at Eurobest. The agency has picked up two Grand Prix awards and a Gold Eurobest for its Unfear app for Samsung.

Designed for the world’s 70m ASD sufferers, the Unfear app uses AI to autonomously identify and suppress noises known to trigger anxiety attacks, in real-time. Additional customisable settings further allow people on the autism spectrum to take control of what they hear and how. It can be tailored to dampen specific sounds that can be particularly painful and distressing to individuals, allowing them the freedom to go out and avoid isolation. 

The work for Samsung has garnered an historic number of Grand Prix awards at Eurobest. The brand experience and activation Grand Prix award under the tech-led brand experience category picked up the Grand Prix, as did the Digital Craft award in the innovative use of technology category. For Creative Data in the data-technology category, Cheil Spain was also handed the Gold Eurobest Award. 

The Eurobest Awards are celebrating their 36th year of highlighting champions of creative excellence with work that is bold, groundbreaking and raises the bar for creative communications, advertising and related fields. Malcolm Poynton, Cheil Worldwide's Global Chief Creative Officer says: “We are thrilled to receive such incredible recognition from EuroBest for such a ground-breaking campaign. Our industry and clients can make a profound and positive difference in the world – Unfear is the latest demonstration of how Cheil’s unique digital and creative capabilities are breathing life into Samsung’s decade-long commitment to Technology with Purpose, to open up the world for many more people, everyday. Nothing could be more rewarding.”

70 million people around the world are on the autism spectrum and many of those people suffer panic attacks due to hyperacusis - hypersensitivity to specific noises like sirens, construction work, dogs barking or fireworks. While noise cancelling ear protection is one possible solution, this further isolates ASD sufferers from the world and people around them. Over a period of nine months research and development, Cheil Spain worked with Samsung España, x10 of Spain’s leading Autism organisations and over x100 medical specialists, carers, patients and their families to to develop an alternative that liberates ASD people from having to live in isolation, unable to fully participate in and enjoy the world. Working in real-time and using advanced artificial intelligence, Unfear autonomously identifies and suppresses noises so that users can relax and listen with nothing to be afraid of. Its success has led Cheil Spain and Samsung España to further research and development for a parallel application that ‘s currently in trials for all people suffering even mild hyperacusis and more general sensitivity to sounds.