Tim Story of production house brother directed this spot for Signal out of agency Technology, Humans & Taste (THAT). Starring Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures, Empire, an Oscar nominee for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), the commercial, "Protect Yourself," underscores the digital era need for privacy/personal data protection provided by Signal.
Henson is also, incidentally, represented in the ad arena as a director via brother.
Credits
Client Signal Agency Technology, Humans & Taste (THAT) Nathan Phillips, co-founder/chief creative officer; David Kalvert, co-founder/managing partner; Dena Graham, managing director;Andrew Runkle, executive producer; Steve Ford, sr. producer; Maddie Lawn, strategist; Cassie Hice, sr. program lead. Production brother Tim Story, director; Laura Heflin, producer; Rich Carter, exec producer; Eric Schmidt, DP. Postproduction Friendshop Sara Sachs, editor; Melissa Mapes, managing director/partner; Laura Shackleford, producer; Molly Gandour, assistant editor; Michael Marciano, Rebecca Bolde, Paul Fiterson, motion graphics; Bryan Rosenblum, Flame artist. Color Company 3 Dave Hussey, colorist. Audio Post Lime Studios Glen Landrum, mixer.
Continuing their partnership to combat the mental health crisis among America’s youth, the Ad Council and McCann New York have released the latest installment of the “Sound It Out” campaign which focuses on helping parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations with their kids about emotional wellbeing.
The new work, “Listening is a Form of Love,” focuses on the important role parents and caregivers play in supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing and is supported by new data from Surgo Health’s Youth Mental Health Tracker. The survey highlights that: 55% of youth (ages 10-24) report mental health struggles; and one in five youth report symptoms of depression, and one in four report symptoms of anxiety.
The film includes an interactive digital experience that invites parents to practice “holding space” by pressing the space bar to listen to kids sharing what they wish their parents could hear, in their own words. Along with this literal interpretation of the active listening the campaign encourages, the website also gives valuable tools to help parents and caregivers be better listeners, and in turn, better support their kids.
There is also this 60-second PSA--directed by Alex Fischman Cardenas via Greenpoint Pictures--which underscores the power and importance of listening to your loved ones.