This online spot opens on a mother giving her son an emotional farewell as he leaves home in a rented Hertz van. But soon her anguish turns to anger as she and her hubby realize that their youngster has literally vacated the premises, having stolen everything that wasn’t nailed down in the house. All the goods fit comfortably inside his van.
Guy Shelmerdine of Smuggler directed “Cleaned Out” for agency Adam & Eve DDB, London.
Credits
Client Hertz Agency Adam & Eve DDB Richard Adkins, producer; Ben Priest, chief creative officer; Ben Tollett, Richard Brim, executive creative directors; Matt Woolner, Steve Wioland, creative directors; Frances Leach, copywriter; Christopher Bowsher, art director. Production Smuggler Guy Shelmerdine, director; Rob Hardy, DP; Molly Pope, producer; Chris Barrett, Fergus Brown, exec producers. Editorial Stitch LA Andy McGraw, editor. Postproduction MPC
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