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SALT LAKE CITY — A Spanish foundation seeking to raise awareness and prevent child abuse has an innovative ad up on the streets of Spain, one that displays two messages, one of which is only visible to children.
Grey Group Spain designed the ad in conjunction with the foundation Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk, using a special kind of printing called lenticular printing, which shows images based on the angle they are viewed from.
The ad shows an image of a sad child to adults over a certain height, with the accompanying message that "Sometimes child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it."
However, to children below 4 feet 5 inches in height, it shows a child who has been beaten and bruised along with the message, "If somebody hurts you, phone us and we'll help you."
Reaction to the ad has been mostly positive, with commenters praising the innovative use of a widely available technology and specifically targeting those who are being abused. However, some have pointed out flaws with the advertisements, like the fact that a small child might not be able to tell that they are getting a different message from the adult, and hence assume their abuser can also see the message.
In addition, Grey Group Spain released a YouTube video explaining the ad, which has received more than 3 million views, essentially launching an ad campaign about their own ad campaign. Some commenters wondered whether that would reduce the effectiveness of the ads.
"It's great usage of the technology, but I have to wonder if by putting a video about the sign online, if an abusive person would recognize and avoid the sign with the youngster," said a commenter on Peta Pixel. "I know I'm probably analyzing it too much, but by watching the video, the secret is out to everyone."
