The Firevase, a decorative flower vase, can activate in the case of a house fire. People simply throw it directly at the flames and as the vase shatters it releases potassium carbonate, which acts as a powerful flame suppressant by depriving the fire of oxygen. According to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, over 10,000 residential fires break out in South Korea every year. However, despite a 2017 law requiring every household to have a fire extinguisher, 58% of homes still don’t and those that do often have them stored in inaccessible places. Marine Insurance distributed over 10,000 Firevases to homes from September to December 2018. The video promotion starred a Korean celebrity and ensured 81% of people confirmed greater fire safety awareness after watching the ad.

A survey conducted by Gyeonggi Province Family and Women Research Institute shows that less than one-quarter of houses equipped with a fire extinguisher has occupants who know how to use it. Most people don’t want to have an eyesore extinguisher in the home, but the Firevase initiative turns it into a visually pleasing object that doesn’t look out of place. Researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Ceramics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences created a wallpaper that detects fire and sets off an alarm when exposed to extreme heat. Similarly, Japan tried to make safety less of an afterthought by framing it according to young people’s mode of absorbing information. The Okayama Prefecture has designed a playing card game about the potential threats of natural disasters.

Abi Buller is the editorial assistant at Canvas8, which specializes in behavioral insights and consumer research. Outside of work, you'll find her wandering around art galleries, practising yoga and seeking out new pastel-coloured garments to add to her collection.