Two youngsters get out of school due to the death of their Uncle Edward. It turns out Uncle Edward has died six times this year–and the lad and lass don’t even have an Uncle Edward.
Rather their departed uncle is a ticket to family adventure as mom and dad pick the kids up at school and take off in their mid-size SUV Volkswagen Atlas.
Lance Acord of Park Pictures directed “Hooky” for Deutsch.
Client Volkswagen Agency Deutsch Pete Favat, chief creative officer, North America; Matt Sherman, Paul Oberlin, creative directors; Newt Cox, copywriter; Lisandro Ancewicz, art director; Diego de la Maza, director of integrated production; Carolyn Casey, executive integrated producer; Jake Burnett, integrated producer. Eryk Rich, SVP, music director; Chase Butters, music supervisor; Dez Davis, music producer. Production Park Pictures Lance Acord, director/DP; Jackie Bisbee, Scott Howard, exec producers; Caroline Kousidonis, Jason Groves, producers. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Adam Pertofsky, editor; Derrick Monks, assistant editor; Rana Martin, exec producer; Janae Abraham, producer. Music Jacob Collier, composer/producer/performer. Telecine MPC Mark Gethin, colorist; Meghan Lang, exec producer; Rebecca Boorsma, producer. Postproduction a52 Matt Sousa, lead Flame artist; Kim Christensen, exec producer; Sarah Laborde, producer.
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
