Droga5 NY’s first piece of work for Harley Davidson, “Breathe,” connects us to the physical, emotional, mental, even spiritual effects of riding a motorcycle.
In a world that’s increasingly isolated, disconnected and numb, riding is the kind of human experience people are craving. The adrenaline rush of a ride that stays with you for days. Being out in nature while everyone’s stuck inside. Participating in a real, live community that spans the globe. Having your hands glued to a pair of handlebars, rather than your phone. It’s healing.
In “Breathe,” directed by Jaron Albertin of SMUGGLER, a Harley Davidson rider races to outpace “the voice of technology’”that gently instructs him to stay connected to the matrix. As the rider begins to leave the connected world behind, gentle instructions give way to desperate commands, until he bursts out into a world all his own, where the constant drip-feed of updates and alerts cannot follow.
Credits
Client Harley Davidson Agency Droga5 New York David Droga, creative chairman; Neil Heymann, global chief creative officer; Felix Richter, Tim Gordon, co-chief creative officers; Casey Rand, Kevin Brady, executive creative directors; Thom Glover, Marybeth Ledesma, creative directors; George McQueen, Tom McQueen, associate creative directors; Dan Litzow, sr. copywriter; Gemma Slack, Maria Kouninski, art directors; Jenny Yoon, copywriter; Jason Severs, chief design officer; Rich Greco, Devin Croda, group design directors; Craig Wong, group experience design director; James Garvey, sr. user experience director; Jenny Clark, associate director, experience design; Owen DiRienz, experience designer; Anna fine, design director; Albie Eloy, Kathryn Brylinsky, sr. designers; Louise Dreier, content strategy lead; Paul Vogel, content strategy director; Jeremy Zerbe, sr. design content writer; Rob Mellinger, performance writer; Mark Yoon, design director; Allison Lee, designer; Sally-Ann Dale, chief creation officer; Jesse Brihn, director of film production; Ruben Mercadal, associate director of film production; Gulshan Jaffery, exec producer, film; Tasha Cronin, co-director of interactive production & integration lead; Jonny Bauer, global chief strategy officer. Production SMUGGLER Jaron Albertin, director; Mattias Konigswieser, DP; Allison Kunzman, Patrick Milling Smith, exec producers; Nick Fewtrell, producer. Production Services Unit and Sofa, Prague. Editorial Cut+Run NY Jonnie Scarlett, editor; Ellese Shell, exec producer. Postproduction The Mill Andrew Somerville, exec producer; Damien Van Der Cruyssen, telecine. Music/Sound Design Q Department Drazen Bosnjak, creative director. Audio Post Sonic Union David Pappa, mixer; Vicky Ferraro, exec 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
