Cyfra+ - Childproof Commercial (2010) 30' (Poland)

A Polish advertiser takes advantage of presbycusis* an age related hearing loss that prevents suffering adults from hearing certain frequency ranges. In this “childproof commercial”, the producer used an 18,000 Hz sound effect to supposedly annoy younger listeners thereby keeping them away from getting the message.

CYFRA is a leading Polish digital TV provider. Their job was to tell people about their parental control system.

Advertising agency decided to create a commercial for adults and adults only. They took advantage of the scientific fact that people loose their ability to hear high frequency sounds when getting older. According to experts 18,000 Hz can be heard only by people under 21 years of age.

So, they recorded an adult VOD radio commercial and then added 18 kHz sound in the background.

This prevented minors from hearing the message, as the high frequency sound disturbed them throughout the whole commercial, often forcing to cover their ears or change the channel. Adults however, since, unable to hear such high tones, could clearly hear this radio commercial.

Transcript:

MAN: This is a childproof commercial, your kid will not like it.
SFX: The 18kHz sound starts in the background
WOMAN: Black Angelina and Bob Terminator in an adult masterpiece “SExth Element”. Breathtaking erotic movies from the world famous studio Private. Top quality, interesting plot, sexy bodies, and exotic locations exclusively on demand at CYFRA.
SFX: The 18kHz sound stops.
MAN: Both adult VOD and this commercial are absolutely childproof. Find out more about our parental control system at www.cyfraplus.pl

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* Presbycusis: or age related hearing loss, is cumulative effect of aging on hearing. Also known as presbyacusis, it is defined as a progressive bilateral symmetrical age-related sensorineural hearing. The hearing loss is most marked at higher frequencies.