This Nike spot is a bon voyage to Kobe Bryant who plays his last NBA game tonight. Over a 20-year career, Bryant has been a champion and an antagonist, an idol and an antihero. He thrived in the midst of negativity, inviting fans and opponents to bring their worst and giving them exactly what they wanted in return—the Black Mamba.
This film directed by Mark Romanek of Anonymous Content for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore., shows Kobe conducting players and fans through a rendition of Otis Redding’s song, “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now),” but with slightly different lyrics. Fans and opponents croon the words “I’ve been hating you too long to stop now” directly to Kobe. It’s a send-off that could only work for Kobe Bryant.
Music/sound house was Beacon Street Studios which also handled the audio post.
Titled “The Conductor,” the spot will air tonight (4/13) on ESPN during Bryant’s final game as the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Utah Jazz.
Credits
Client Nike Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’ Rourke, creative directors; Josh Bogdan, Nathaniel Friedman, copywriters; Jacob Weinstein, art director; Matt Hunnicutt, Molly Tait Tanen, Mauricio Granado, producers. Production Anonymous Content Mark Romanek, director; Eric Stern, managing director; SueEllen Clair, exec producer; James Graves, line producer; Greig Fraser, DP. Editorial Exile Eric Zumbrunnen, editor; Brittany Carson, post producer; CL Weaver, post exec producer. VFX MPC LA Michael Gregory, VFX supervisor; Brian Williams, lead compositor; Lexi Stearn, exec producer; Brian Friel, VFX producer; Mark Gethin, colorist. Music Beacon Street Studios, Venice, Calif. Andrew Feltenstein, John Nau, composers; Rommel Molina, sound designer. Leslie DiLullo, producer. Song: “I’ve Been Hating You Too Long To Stop Now” Audio Post Beacon Street Studios Rommel Molina, mixer.
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
