In partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi NY, Walmart kicked off its back-to-school TV ad campaign with ads featuring some of America’s favorite superheroes–and their kid alter egos.
The campaign, including this anthem “Heroes” spot replete with Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, was directed by feature filmmaker Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger than Fiction, The Kite Runner) via production house Tool of North America.
Client Walmart Agency Saatchi & Saatchi New York Javier Campopiano, chief creative officer; Mike Pierantozzi, executive creative director; Adam Kline, associate creative director/copywriter; Justin Roth, associate creative director/art director; Wanda Pogue, chief strategy officer; Annie Kleinbaum, strategist; Dean Shoukas, executive producer. Production Tool of North America Marc Forster, director; Adam Richards, DP; Oliver Fuselier, Dustin Callif, managing partners; Brad Johns, exec producer; Lee Trask, producer. Editorial Cosmo Street Tom Scherma, editor; Maura Woodard, exec producer; Anne Lai, producer. Postproduction/VFX Method Studios Jeff Wolfe, director of production; Angela Lupo, exec producer; Tsiliana Jolson, sr. producer; Myung Gong, VFX creative director/supervisor; Steve Morris, lead Flame artist. Music Licensing Creative License
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
