Olly Blackburn of Great Guns directed this :60 for BT Mobile which centers on a young family. Beginning in their home, we see the couple and toddler enjoying precious moments before the mother–a nurse–leaves for work. Later, on the bus to the hospital, she receives a video call from her partner. He excitedly turns the camera to their child, capturing the magical moments of her very first steps. The proud mother tearfully encourages her baby girl, who responds to her voice and walks towards the camera.
Titled “First Steps,” the ad ends with the voiceover reminding us to “Be there, for those moments that only happen once.”
Credits
Client BT Mobile Agency AMV BBDO, London Paul Brazier, chief creative officer; Yvonne Chalkley, executive producer; Felicity Bamber, assistant producer. Production Great Guns, London Olly Blackburn, director; Sheridan Thomas, exec producer; Tim Francis, producer; Jaime Feliu Torres, DP; Marie Lana, production designer. Casting Des Hamilton Casting, Kharmel Cochrane Casting Editorial James Demitriou, editor. Color The Mill, London Seamus O’Kane, colorist. Audio Mix Grand Central, London Culum Simpson, mixer. Music Alexandre Desplat, composer.
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
