In this :60 titled “Protect like a mother,” human moms are replaced with animal counterparts who fiercely yet caringly protect children from everything ranging from the rain to being bullied to a potential traffic accident at a crosswalk.
This is the launch film for a campaign from McCann New York for Lysol. The platform is called “What It Takes To Protect” and celebrates the protective strength of parents, and the ways in which germ-killing Lysol is also there to help protect.
Tom Routson of Framestore directed the :60.
Credits
Client Lysol Agency McCann New York Tom Murphy, Sean Bryan, co-chief creative officers; John Mescall, global executive creative director; Priti Kapoor, executive creative director; Erin Wendel, Lauren McCrindle, creative directors; Susan Young, copywriter; Daniel Colburn, copywriter; Jesse Yowell, art director; Nathy Aviram, chief production officer; Christine Lane, executive producer, innovation; Winslow Dennis, executive producer; Andrea Kaye, executive art producer; Matthew Arrow, sr. producer-innovation; Phoebe Chao, producer-innovation; Eric Johnson, executive music director; Dan Gross, music producer; Erica Yahr, executive strategy director; Sarah Watson, global strategy director; Amanda Shapiro, strategy director. Production & VFX Framestore Tom Routson, director. Editorial Cut+Run Jon Grover, editorial.
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
