Naga DDB's ECD on the inspiration behind anti-paedophilia campaign

Creative agency Naga DDB is spearheading child protection cause within the ad industry, tying up with a non-profit organisation called Protect and Save the Children (PSC). The two are aiming to create awareness of paedophiles in Malaysia.The project named "Nursery Crimes" is set to launch on 21 July and centres around three films in three different languages to educate the Malaysian public on paedophilia. The campaign took approximately two years to complete and each of the three films direct people to a micro-site where crucial information on paedophilia is dispensed. Visitors are also invited to play a part in spreading this awareness via social media.Other partners involved in the production and launching of this campaign include Tribal Worldwide, SuperWonderful, Fuse, Milk PR. Campaigns are running on both TGV Cinemas and Astro medium for free. The agency is not able to comment on the total worth of the ad spaces.In an exclusive interview with A+M, Alvin Teoh, executive creative director of Naga DDB said agencies such as Naga DDB have the power to create "purpose driven" stories for social causes such as this.“Ad agencies have the power of influence and if we can draw parents’ attention to this sickness and empower them with knowledge- we can play a role to save innocent lives from being torn away. We're not activists, but we can bring attention to these things through what we do," Teoh said.The campaign comes not long after the nation was rocked by headlines of 30 years old British paedophile Richard Huckle, who preyed on up to 200 Malaysian children in an impoverished part of Kuala Lumpur. He was sentenced to life in June this year after admitting 71 charges of sex abuse against children aged from six months to twelve years old in Malaysia.The incident made global headlines being widely covered by both  local media to international ones such as BBC. The latter also did compile various reactions of the locals on the abuse in a report.When asked what drove his team to create the spot, Teoh said even in modern Malaysia, paedophilia is a taboo subject for many. Recounting a personal experience he added that two years ago his nine-year old daughter too barely escaped from a molestation attempt in the school.“I have my wife to thank for because she was the one who made her aware of these dangers even from young. The answer is awareness. And in Malaysia, that is lacking. It is something that is shameful and not talked about in many communities. As a dad, I was almost broken by that incident and when my creative team heard about it, they decided to work on a huge awareness campaign,” said the Naga DDB’s chief creative director.He revealed that this is just the beginning in a very long battle in which he sees Naga DDB will be committing in the said cause for the long term.