An new ad from Spain is taking an innovative approach to combating child abuse - by sending out a secret message on posters that can only be seen by kids. The ad, from the Spanish children's advocacy group, Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk (ANAR), uses lenticular printing, which allows different images to be shown on the same display, depending on the angle from which it is viewed.  

So an adult who is looking at the ad will see one thing, while the child next to him will see something else.  In this case, the adult will see a picture of a young boy with the message, "Sometimes, child abuse is only visible to the child suffering it." The child will see the same boy but with bruises on his face and the message "If somebody hurts you, phone us and we'll help you."

This YouTube video explains the ad and the technology behind it.  Take a look:

The topic of child abuse prevention is one that I think about a lot.  I unfortunately know from first hand experience how hard it is to speak up when someone is hurting you.  As a kid, I can clearly remember taking the lumps and bumps that my dad dished out and not really knowing how to stop it.  Sure, there were general ad campaigns on child abuse prevention at the time, but there was no one that looked me straight in the (black) eye and said, "I can help."  That's why I think this ad campaign is so amazing.  I think this ad could stop a kid in his or her tracks and speak to them - directly to them - and tell them how to get help.

And even if it just helps one kid get out of a bad situation, it will be well worth the investment.

Child abuse prevention ad targeted to kids
New ad aims to stop child abuse with secret message that can only be seen by kids.