During the MTV Video Music Awards last night, the American Legacy Foundation released this spot, part of its latest “truth” anti-smoking “Finish It” initiative.
“Unpaid” points out that selfies showing celebs smoking cigarettes is tantamount to “free marketing” for Big Tobacco. These images can then affect societal acceptance of and subsequent behavior around smoking and using tobacco products. Looking to counteract this is the agency behind the initiative, 72andSunny.
Credits
Client American Legacy Foundation Agency 72andSunny Glenn Cole, chief creative officer; Justin Hooper, Mick DiMaria, group creative director; Allbriton Robbins, lead designer; Beau Unruh, lead writer; Matt Jarvis, chief strategy officer; Matt Johnson, group strategy director; Ravi Khanna, sr. strategist; Josh Hughes, strategist; James Townsend, managing director; Judson Whigham, group brand director; Kristine Soto, Luke Lamson, brand directors; Tom Dunlap, chief production officer; Sam Baerwald, director of film production; Calleen Colburn, sr. film producer; Sabrina Bajaj, sr. art producer; Denise Knickerbocker, freelance art producer. Editorial 72andSunny Studio Scott Culver, sr. editor. VFX 72andSunny Studio. Post MPC LA, telecine. Audio Lime Rohan Young, mixer. Music “Throw It Down” by Dominique Young Unique. Anne Litt, music supervisor.
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The filmโs protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a childโs life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace โ Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the โBullying-Free Schoolsโ program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
โResearch indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More