Emmy and Golden Globe winner Brian Cox of Succession fame stars in DIRECTV’s “Overly Direct Spokesperson” campaign from TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles.
Carrying a brand strategy platform of “Entertainment Without Compromise,” the campaign features Cox in varied vehicles–including this anthem spot–providing some “direct” tough love to encourage people to swith to DIRECTV.
This nearly one-minute film was directed by Jody Hill via production house Caviar.
Jason Karley, executive creative director at TBWAChiatDay LA, said, “Other than being an incredibly seasoned and accomplished actor, we knew Brian could really pay off a ‘direct’ character and deliver on the type of tone we wanted our direct spokesperson to communicate–stern but still accessible and relatable.”
Credits
Client DIRECTV Agency TBWAChiatDay LA Renato Fernandez, chief creative officer; Jason Karley, executive creative director; Mark Winters, Ryan Buckley, Josh DiMarcantonio, creative directors; Cheston Kwan, sr. art director; Josh Hill, sr. copywriter; Jessica Nugent, copywriter; Rachel Findlay, art director; Bruno Regalo, chief design officer; Ekaterina Cervantes, Qi Tan, designers; Anh-Thu Le, executive director of production; Alicia Portner, sr. producer; Tyler Hock, associate producer; Dena Moore, executive art producer; Aliza Grover, Ted Copeland, art producers; Jen Costelo, chief strategy officer; Jesse Unger, Katie Acosta, group strategy directors; Sheida Karami, associate strategy director; Hannah Schweitzer, strategist; Kevin Bautista, associate director of connections; Laura Mayer, sr. director of data; Josh Brinkmann, Ryan Gelnaw, data strategists. Production Company Caviar Jody Hill, director; Peter Donahue, DP; Michael Sagol, Kim Dellara, exec producers; Cat Craven-Griffiths, head of production; Bernard Rahill producer. Editorial Arcade Geoff Hounsell, editor; Fernando Raigoza, assistant editor; Crissy DeSimone, exec producer; Megan Dahlman, head of production; Alexa Atkin Berman, sr. producer. VFX Parliament Nathan Kane, VFX supervisor; Taner Besen, John McIntosh, creative leads; Dan Adams, Damien Cho, James Cudahy, Adam Deutsch, Kathleen Kirkman, Jay Lee, creative team; Anna Kravtsov, Kate Matos, Lexi Stearn, production team. Color Royal Muster Gregory Reese, colorist; Thatcher Peterson, exec producer. Music & Sound Design String & Tins Jim Stewart, Culum Simpson, sound designers; Laura-Leigh Smith, audio producer; Mike Bamford, Olivia Endersby, music supervision. Audio Post Lime Studios Matt Miller, sound mixer; Ian Connie, assistant mixer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer; Cassie Underwood, associate 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
