The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) and creative agency Oberland approached Hornet to create a 45-second spot, “Grace,” detailing how LLS can help people come to terms with the earth-shattering news of a cancer diagnosis. Hornet’s own Natalie Labarre directed the animated spot. In her words, it was supposed to be “a visual representation of what it’s like to have your life fall apart.” So, she made it literally fall apart with an unraveling of structures around the characters, a blurry focus, and a swirl of levitating objects.
The message is that once LLS comes into the picture, these characters feel grounded again. Ultimately, the film is a heartfelt, soothing, beautifully-illustrated 2D animation that has a heavy, yet hopeful, tone.
The spirit of the piece is in line with the LLS mission and motto: “Beating Cancer Is in Our Blood.”
Credits
Client Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Agency Oberland, New York Production Hornet, New York Natalie Labarre, director, storyboard artist, character designer, environment designer; Hana Shimizu, exec producer; Kristin Labriola, development producer; Matt Creeden, producer; Anita Chao, editor; Riley Spencer, production coordinator; Sarah Litzenberger, storyboard artist, lead animator; Sami Healy, lead animator; Josh Brennan, Tyler DiBiasio, Ty Enos, Natalie Labarre, Seongjin Yoon, Hazel Zheng, animators; XiaoXiao Tang, lead compositor.(Toolbox: Photoshop, Toon Boom Harmony, After Effects, Premiere) Audio “Limited Wisdom,” written by Taubenblau, courtesy of Extreme Music. Jen Lawson, voiceover 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 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
