Agency creative Ari Merkin teamed with director Jared Knecht of m ss ng p eces and songwriter Richie Supa on this music video for Face the Music, a non-profit organization that provides scholarships for addicts and uses the power of music to help people recognize and conquer addiction. The clip is sponsored by Recovery Unplugged, a treatment center with various detox, residential and inpatient facilities in Austin, Fort Lauderdale and DC.
Driven by the song, this video shows different addicts in denial, insisting they’re in control of the situation with the song mantra “I got this.” Supa’s song is one of many original pieces of music he’s crafted for musical therapy jam sessions to help clients in recovery.
Credits
Client Face the Music/Recovery Unplugged Agency Ari Merkin Ari Merkin, copywriter/art director; Clair Grupp, executive producer; Dan Seliger, digital strategist. Production m ss ng p eces Jared Knecht, director. Editorial Exile Matt Murphy, editor; Stephania Dulowski, assistant editor; Evyn Bruce, sr. producer; Lauren Pullano, producer. Music Original Song: “I got this” by Richie Supa from the Enemy album Music Elias Eric Ronick, creative director; Matt Phenix, head of production; Luke Atencio, additional arrangement. Color Company 3 Kath Raisch, colorist.
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 film’s 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 child’s 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 – Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the “Bullying-Free Schools” program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
“Research indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
