We open on a woman laying in a hospital bed. She is bald, presumably from chemotherapy. The camera moves back to reveal that the bed is on a heavily trafficked city sidewalk, next to a public transportation Metro station.
The woman is strong in voice and spirit as she earnestly seeks help, holding up a collection cup, asking passersby during work commute time to donate to research in the fight against Hodgkin’s Disease. One pedestrian after another ignores her, preoccupied with getting to their workplaces or wherever.
A supered message then appears on screen against a backdrop: “Youth are the #1 victims of Hodgkin’s Disease. Funding for research is largely non-existent.”
An end tag carries a website address–fight2win.org–for those who care to learn more and hopefully help.
The website is that of the Alese Coco Fight 2 Win Foundation, which aims to find a cure for Hodgkin’s Disease and recurrent Hodgkin’s Disease through increasing awareness and raising money to fund research grants.
The PSA was directed by the Russo Brothers of RSA Films for Draftfcb, Irvine, Calif. Editor was Hovig Menakian of Optimus Santa Monica. The spot is slated to run on FOX, Turner and ESPN through the end of the year.
“[Hodgkin’s Disease] victims are literally being ignored,” said creative director/writer Scott Murray of Draftfcb, Irvine. “We decided that was the story we needed to tell, and we went out of our way to make sure the spot felt as real as possible–from the casting to the sound design to the look of the film to the way we edited the story–so as to make sure nothing got in the way of the message.”
The PSA originated when Greg Creed, the president of Taco Bell who sits on the board of the Alese Coco Fight 2 Win Foundation, asked Draftfcb and Optimus to develop a spot to help the organization’s mission.
Disney Pledges $15 million In L.A. Fire Aid As More Celebs Learn They’ve Lost Their Homes
The Pacific Palisades wildfires torched the home of "This Is Us" star Milo Ventimiglia, perhaps most poignantly destroying the father-to-be's newly installed crib.
CBS cameras caught the actor walking through his charred house for the first time, standing in what was once his kitchen and looking at a neighborhood in ruin. "Your heart just breaks."
He and his pregnant wife, Jarah Mariano, evacuated Tuesday with their dog and they watched on security cameras as the flames ripped through the house, destroying everything, including a new crib.
"There's a kind of shock moment where you're going, 'Oh, this is real. This is happening.' What good is it to continue watching?' And then at a certain point we just turned it off, like 'What good is it to continue watching?'"
Firefighters sought to make gains Friday during a respite in the heavy winds that fanned the flames as numerous groups pledged aid to help victims and rebuild, including a $15 million donation pledge from the Walt Disney Co.
More stars learn their homes are gone
While seeing the remains of his home, Ventimiglia was struck by a connection to his "This Is Us" character, Jack Pearson, who died after inhaling smoke in a house fire. "It's not lost on me life imitating art."
Mandy Moore, who played Ventimiglia's wife on "This Is Us," nearly lost her home in the Eaton fire, which scorched large areas of the Altadena neighborhood. She said Thursday that part of her house is standing but is unlivable, and her husband lost his music studio and all his instruments.
Mel Gibson's home is "completely gone," his publicist Alan Nierob confirmed Friday. The Oscar winner revealed the loss of his home earlier Friday while appearing on Joe Rogan's... Read More