When Innovation Serves a Function

There are a lot of cool innovative ideas out there. New technology is created every day and people are out there creating some incredible projects. To me, the best innovation isn't a tactic that makes someone have to add one more thing to their to-do list every day. The best innovation is one that serves accomplishes a task that couldn't be accomplished before. Serving an unmet need over creating a new one. This ad that floated around the internet this week is a perfect example of such innovation:

The creators of this ad space knew that they had two audiences for their awareness campaign. One - adults who may not be aware of child abuse or could be the abusers. Two - children who needed help. By creating a specific message that only children would be able to clearly see, the ad actually provided a safe communication outlet for children in need.

There was no brilliant social campaign for this billboard. No QR codes to share the experience. Just a very powerful idea presented in a well-delivered story. The PR power in this campaign was in the innovative idea itself, not a gimmick. It's a great example of solid creative thinking. I love this.