Up-and-coming NBA star John Wall of the Washington Wizards is featured in this spot in which a friend tells him how his career will progress. Wall has just gotten his first signature line of adidas shoes available exclusively at Foot Locker. His buddy explains that this achievement is the beginning of a career arc which will have him make a championship run, marry the girl of his dreams, move into a mansion and eventually retire at the top of his game.
But that’s not the end of the “process” as his friend continues to talk about what the future will hold as Wall will get a bit complacent, his agent/accountant will steal all his money, he’ll lose his girl, the mansion and have to resort to appearing in car dealership commercials. Still, there’s a silver lining in this humorous depiction of what’s in store for a pro athlete.
Jim Jenkins of O Positive directed for agency BBDO New York.
Credits
Client Foot Locker Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, chief creative officer, worldwide; Greg Hahn, chief creative officer, New York; Dan Lucy, Chris Beresford-Hill, executive creative directors; David Rolfe, director of integrated production; Anthony Curti, executive producer; Troy Tarwater, executive VP, worldwide sr. director; Brit Browning, sr. planner. Production O Positive Jim Jenkins, director; Ralph Laucella, exec producer; Marc Grill, exec producer/line producer; Eric Steelburg, DP. Editorial Mackenzie Cutler Ian Mackenzie, editor; Sasha Hirschfeld, exec producer; Nick Divers, Mike Leuis, assistant editors.
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
