Recently nominated for an Emmy, Ad Council’s “We Are America,” a three-and-a-half minute video, introduces us to a diverse mix of folks, underscoring that the country is blessed by a full spectrum of age, talents, sexual orientation, race, religion and gender. Featured in the piece is mega WWE wrestling star John Cena who provides a stirring narration on the definition of "patriotism."
Rocky Morton of MJZ directed for agency R/GA.
Client Ad Council Agency R/GA Nick Law, global chief creative officer; Eric Jannon, Chris Northam, group executive creative directors; Thomas Darlow, Rene Van Wonderen, Lucia Orlandi, associate creative directors; Bethany Kennedy, sr. visual designer; Ria McIlwraith, designer; Tessa Ndiaye, experience designer; Emily Uram, jr. art director; Lukas Pearson, jr. copywriter; Cindy Pound, executive production director; Jeff Skutnik, executive campaign producer; Lucas Dennison, digital producer; Kat Friis, executive production director, content; Leanne Diamond, post producer; Ashlye Vaughan, sr. content producer. Production MJZ Rocky Morton, director; Emma Wilcockson, exec producer; Larry Shure, line producer; David Lanzeberg, DP. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Dan de Winter, editor. Original Music Human Phillip Glass, composer. Music Supervision wool and tusk Audio Post Nylon Studios David Robertson, mixer. Postproduction Nice Shoes Chris Ryan, colorist; Jason Farber, Flame artist.
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
