This ad is making its way around the Internet. It's got an absolutely brilliant premise. Only children can see the ad aimed at them. Adults are too tall to see the message. You have to watch it to see what I mean.
http://techcrunch.com/2013/05/06/an-anti-abuse-ad-with-a-secret-message-only-children-can-see/
Have you watched it? I do not like the ad. I want you to know that I despise child abusers and do not want anyone to think that I'd try to protect one. My first four were abused as little kids. I adopted them and took them out of that life. Now I have two grand kids who were abused by their father. He got to go to prison but not for long enough of a time. Maybe the person stays in prison until the scars they inflict on the child are truly healed? That will be never...
OK I've digressed. While the premise for this is brilliant, it scares me to think that this type of advertising is being used on children. Not teaching them to report child abuse - sure teach them to report real abuse. What if this was an anti-2nd amendment ad? Perhaps the picture shown for adults is an adult with a gun looking like they are at the range and the picture the kid sees is the adult pointing the gun at them. How about a liquor ad that shows two adults enjoying a glass of wine and for kids, I don't know, maybe the lady passed out and date raped? I could come up will all kinds of scenarios that aren't good but can be used to influence kids.
I get the ad. It gives kids guidance on how to report if they are being abused even if the abuser is walking down the street with them. I want to know what my grand kids are being shown. I don't even let them watch PG movies if I don't know why they are rated PG and I'm supposed to let them see an ad with a beat up kid? Nothing like pushing Girl or Boy over the edge to let them relive their nightmare when they thought their father was going to kill them. And I'd have no idea what caused them to react the way they'd react.
Advertisers want to put up a child abuse poster or a date rape poster? I'll never be OK with it if it's done behind my back. Not that the government or any special interest groups would ever try to influence children without the knowledge of their parents.
The scariest part is the sophistication of the "mind control" advertising that has been going on for decades. Also the brazenness that it is being used about social rules and thoughts now. Subliminal messages seem like sticks and stones compared to this.
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