To kick off its “Be More Here” campaign for client Dixie, Droga5 NY has turned out “Dark for Dinner,” a social movement that asks people to turn off their phones, cut out distractions and tune into the people at the table. The initiative encourages friends and families to return the focus to one another every Sunday, to “be more here,” then come back online and tell us what they learned using the hashtag, #DarkforDinner.
A :30 national TV spot features four real groups of families and friends who agreed to put their phones away for the night and get deep with each other over dinner. The results were amazing—laughs, tears, love confessions, revelations, serious debates about ridiculous subjects—all of which reminds us how valuable it is to truly connect with the people we love. Free from any distractions, the spot captured and celebrated the moments, quirks, and conversations that surfaced when everyone’s attention was where it belonged. An extended version of the national TV spot has gone live online.
Henry Mason of Chelsea Pictures directed the spot which was cut by Patrick Colman of Final Cut NY.
Credits
Client Georgia Pacific/Dixie Agency Droga5 NY David Droga, creative chairman; Ted Royer, chief creative officer; Karen Land Short, Casey Rand, creative directors; Dan Brill, copywriter; Spencer Hansen, art director; Rich Greco, design director; Kathryn Brylinsky, designer; SallyAnn Dale, chief creation officer; Ben Davies, head of broadcast production; Bill Berg, broadcast producer; Jonny Bauer, global chief strategy officer; Colm Murphy, group strategy director; Nick Maschmeyer, sr. strategist. Production Chelsea Pictures Henry Mason, director; Benn Martenson, DP; Allison Amon, partner/exec producer; Howard Woffinden, producer. Editorial Final Cut NY Patrick Colman, editor; Spencer Campbell, assistant editor; Lauren Bleiweiss, exec producer; VietAn Nguyen, head of production. Postproduction Significant Others Alek Rost, producer; Dirk Greene, Flame artist. Audio Significant Others T. Terressa Tate, 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
