Ads against child abuse are all show, no go

I’m about to go on another rant about social marketing strategy. But it’s not just aimed at this agency, this client or this campaign. It’s a very widespread problem.

This ad show’s a girl’s playhouse as her uncle’s strip club/whorehouse. Shocking. Provocative. Clever. But effective?

Depends on what the client’s and agency’s real objectives are. If they were to get their brands better known by the international ad community, mission accomplished. (I’m sure they’re also hoping to win some hardware.)

But if they really want to stop child abuse, I believe this campaign — like many similar ones — will fail.

Social marketing is about influencing behaviours. Child abusers of this kind cannot be influenced by advertising, so they cannot be the target audience. That leaves the rest of the community, especially parents, as the targets. So what does the ad say to them?

“Child sexual abuse exists” - We know that already.

“Child sexual abuse can occur in the home, and is often committed by trusted family, friends or authority figures” - We know that too.

“Child sexual abuse is horrifying” - You’d better believe we know that…

“Something needs to be done about child sexual abuse” - Agreed! But what? The ads provide no positive course of action.

And that’s the failure. The ad reminds us of things we already know, plays on our fear and disgust to get our attention, then just leaves us hanging. There has been no change in perception, behaviour or action. It is just a piece of very predictable creative art.

When are causes marketers and agencies going to stop delivering the same message, over and over, to an already-aware and motivated public?  It’s not just about getting attention, or branding, or getting awards and accolades from your peers. It’s about trying to actually change something for the better.

The upside is, if you actually visit Die Möwe ("The Gull"), you’ll find an Austrian not-for-profit that fundraises to provide essential psychological and legal services for abused children. But who will be incited to visit, besides curious adbloggers?

Another execution from the campaign, about child physical abuse, after the break.

[Translation: “Emergency Room"]

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Comments

I’m disappointed in the difference of the two ads implyin that boys get beaten and girls get molested. There are plenty of cases where children under go both, or where boys are molested and girls are beaten. This isn’t just all show no go, but also perpetuating stereotypes of abuse that simply aren’t true.

Good point, Triste.

Thank you so much Tom for your great examination of this ad! You just hit the nail on its head! there are very few who can do that!

cheers, christoph