Tapping into the popular social media trend of Deaf creators doing British Sign language covers of popular songs online, Ford teamed with Wieden+Kennedy London, the agency's social first studio Bodega London and the British Deaf Association, U.K.’s leading membership organization and registered charity for Deaf people, to celebrate BSL covers of popular songs, starting with “Express Yourself” by English musician Labrinth.
Directed by Yago Hunt Laudi via W+K London’s production company Wrack, the #FordBSLCovers’ work highlights the future of driving and the Deaf community via Ford’s BlueCruise feature on its Mustang Mach-E, the UK’s first and leading assisted driving technology. This “Express Yourself” cover video will run across Ford U.K.’s Instagram–supported by paid media across social and editorial.
Credits
Client Ford Agency Wieden+Kennedy London Dave Colman, Alex Sattlecker; Andre Mezzomo, art director; Winona Wee, copywriter; Ana Balarin, Hermeti Balarin, chief creative officers; Richard Adkins, Amy Leech, joint heads of production; Dom Felton, executive producer; Hestor Manning-Marsh, sr. producer; Michael Hines, group strategy director; Gabriel Marchi, head of Bodega London; Alice Shaw, general manager, Bodega London; Dan Hill, chief strategy officer. Production Company Wrack Yago Hunt Laudi, director & colorist; Jennifer Lawlor, exec producer; Ella Toal Ganger, line producer; Kai Blamey, DP; Ty Hack, 1st AD. Music Siren; “Express Yourself”; Labrinth, artist. VFX Company Covert
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
