Jeana Theron of production house Darling directed this :45 designed to put South Africans in the position of Doctors Without Borders medics on the frontlines where life and death decisions have to be made in a split second. In this case, a medic has a decision to make regarding two children with major, life-threatening injuries from a suicide bomber. That decision is then juxtaposed with the more mundane choices in everyday life–in this case someone trying to figure out what entree to have for a meal.
This PSA is part of a #ToughDecisions campaign created by TBWAHuntLascaris in Johannesburg in the hope that it will prompt more South Africans to donate Doctors Without Borders’ medical humanitarian work. The goal is to recruit 10,000 new regular donors.
Credits
Client Médecins Sans Frontiéres / Doctors Without Borders Agency TBWA\HUNT\LASCARIS, Johannesburg. Peter Khoury, chief creative officer/creative director; George Low, creative director; Lauren Mostert, copywriter; Candice Mcleroth, art director; Sandra Gomes, producer; Travis Spence, strategist. Production Darling Jeana Theron, director; Melina McDonald, Lorraine Smit, exec producers; Bryony Webster, producer; Lauren Wilensky, art director; Clive De Klerk, DP. Editorial Deepend Post Marcel Mouton, editor. Post Fresh VFX Stuart Botha, postproduction producer; Bradley Glossop, operator. Audio Sterling Sound Lorens Persson, audio engineer.
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
