The Campaign

The data we have on the growing problem of online child grooming is but a drop in an ocean of information, largely ignored by parents. To get them to sit up and pay attention to the dangers lurking right under their noses, we needed to find a way to bring the numbers to life – literally. We presented the data in a setting where it was most relevant: Within a child’s bedroom. Hijacking this image of security and innocence, we created an immersive digital experience. As parents clicked and explored, they discovered that key elements in the room were actually hiding shocking infographics on child sexual abuse. A bed represents the rate of reported child sexual abuse cases in Malaysia. A ticking clock visualises how frequently a child is raped. Doing this, we turned the data into a deeply personal experience for parents, making it impossible for them to ignore.

Creative Execution

What looks innocent is not what it seems. The room was designed to appear picture-perfect at first glance…until visitors uncover the jarring truth. The homepage opens to a dreamy, idyllic bedroom scene: Streaming sunlight and vibrant colours if viewed in the daytime, or a warm bedtime glow if viewed at night. Only when users click and hold on the homepage do we reveal the call-outs to statistics. Clicking on the call-outs leads visitors to individual elements in the room that present the data infographic-style. To evoke feelings of unease lurking beneath the innocence, every infographic page is tinged with darkness. Legends, scale and contrasting colours direct the eye to important information. Stop-motion animation is used for a dramatic reveal of each horrifying statistic. Serif, a commonly used font for children's storybooks, was our choice for typography for its association with innocence. To bring the experience even closer to home for parents, we also captured live sounds of children laughing, playing and singing. We then wove it into the website’s audio. Hovering on a teddy bear stowed away in a corner also triggers a haunting lullaby sung by a child, asking Mommy and Daddy to ignore “the man in the phone”. At every point in the user journey, viewers were directed to our cybersafety guide to learn how to safeguard social spaces for their kids. Here, parents could learn crucial tips on spotting and stopping child predators in their tracks.