Scents trigger powerful memories and that dynamic is used to great advantage for families who are leaving their long-time homes. Directed by Zachary Heinzerling (a Best Feature Documentary Oscar nominee for Cutie and the Boxer) and conceived by a creative team at Droga5, this short online film–titled Give the Gift of Home–follows three families about to transition from a beloved residence to new accommodations. They do so having left a piece of them back at their original abodes. But Air Wick gives them a special “Gift of Home,” devising special scents synonymous with their sentimental, life-shaping roosts.
This year’s “Gift of Home” campaign is especially meaningful with a charitable partnership between Habitat for Humanity International and Air Wick. During the holiday season, Air Wick is donating $250,000 through a portion of its profits to benefit families in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International.
Credits
Client Reckitt Benckiser/Air Wick Agency Droga 5, New York David Droga, creative chairman; Ted Royer, chief creative officer; Tim Gordon, Nick Klinkert, group creative directors; Craig Gerringer, Nic Bauman, copywriters; Conner Tobiason, Sean Park, art directors; Sally-Ann Dale, chief creation officer; Ben Davies, head of broadcast production; Topher Lorette, group integrated production manager; Leah Donnenberg, producer; Jonny Bauer, global chief strategy officer; Jonathan Gadd, group strategy director; Deaglan McFarland, strategy director; Danielle Travers, sr. brand strategist; Graham Jones, brand strategist; Calvin Stowell, sr. social strategist; Samantha Deevy, comms. strategy director; Brynn Little sr. comms strategist; Lily Ng, data strategy director. Production Ways & Means Zachary Heinzerling, director; Stuart Winecoff, DP; Lana Kim, Jett Steiger, exec producers; Lia Mayer-Sommer, producer. Editorial Cut + Run New York Akiko Iwakawa, editor; Joe Simmons, assistant editor; Rana Martin, exec producer; Ellen Lavery, producer. Postproduction Roma VFX Vincent Roma, Flame artist. Music Martin Crane Audio Sonic Union Rob McIver, mixer.
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
