Team One, Publicis Group’s agency for premium brands, created this commercial for the 2023 Lexus RX which plays on the universal appeal of The Wizard of Oz. The spot features a family resembling the movie characters in the new Lexus RX and asks what if Dorothy had ignored the advice to “follow the yellow brick road” and took the road less traveled instead? Like the all-new 2023 RX, “Unfollow” reimagines what is possible with a modern interpretation of one of the most celebrated films of all time.
Hanna Maria Heidrich via production house RESET directed “Unfollow.” She is an alum of SHOOT’s 2012 New Directors Showcase.
Credits
Client Lexus Agency Team One Julie Michael, CEO; Chris Graves, chief creative officer; Jason Stinsmuehlen, executive creative director; Britt Wilen, creative director/copywriter; Philipp Dietz, creative director/art director; Neil Cleary, sr. music supervisor; Julie Bedard, sr. project manager; Mark Savage, sr. manager, product insights; Sam Walsh, director, content production; Leah Bohl, associate director, content production; Jenny Valladares, sr. producer; Ann Truong, sr. content producer. Production RESET Hanna Maria Heidrich, director; Dave Morrison, managing director; John Moran, head of production; Jen Beitler, Michael Garza, exec producers; Matt Wersinger, producer; Roman Vasyanov, DP; Meghan McClure, production designer. Editorial Cabin Rami D’Aguiar, editor; Katie Pehowski, assistant editor; Adam Becht, exec producer; Carr Schilling, managing director; Dale Nicholls, sr. producer. VFX JAMM Visual Effects Benoit Mannequin, VFX supervisor/lead compositor; Tim Robbins, Patrick Munoz, Diego Vazquez, Max Harris, Michael Parkinson; Sam Shiflett, Flame artists; Brandon Kachel, matte painter; Anna Dood, producer; Anne-Marie DePauw, production coordinator; Asher Edwards, exec producer. VFX Tilt-Shift, LA Felix Urquiza, creative director; Shelby Wong, head of production; Michael Johnson, CG supervisor; Joel Binder, VFX producer. Color JAMM Visual Effects Adam Scott, colorist; Carver Moore, color assist; Jon Lzar, color producer. Music Squeak E. Clean Studios Michael Gross, executive creative producer; Rob Barbato, executive creative director; Julie B. Nichols, creative director; Max Taylor, sr. producer; Zac Colwell, composer. Music “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” by Harold Arlen & E.Y. Harburg (courtesy Sony ATV Music Publishing/Disney Music Group,) performed by Squeak E Clean Music. Audio Post Margarita Mix Santa Monica Whitney Morris, exec producer; Brian Frank, operations manager; Bruce Bueckert, mixer; Mike Murzyn, Sean Melia, Zach Olson, assistants.
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
