Microsoft’s technology empowers people, and the possibilities it creates are endless. The innovation comes to life this holiday season through the spirit, wonder and imagination of a little girl. Follow the magical story of Lucy, a curious 6-year-old with a few questions on her mind. With the help of her mom’s Surface and Microsoft Translator, she finally gets her chance to ask the most important questions of the season to some special friends. Microsoft technology empowers and connects everyone on the planet–well, almost everyone.
Hank Perlman of Hungry Man directed Microsoft’s “Holiday Magic: Lucy & the Reindeer” for m:united/McCann New York.
Credits
Client Microsoft Agency m:united//McCann New York Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers; Shayne Millington, EVP, executive creative director; Michael Aimette, executive creative director; Rick Ardito, Emmie Nostitz, creative directors; Edu Lunardi, sr. art director; Hunter Pinnell, copywriter; Nick Larson, sr. copywriter; David Cliff, director creative technology; Alicia Foor, Hiya Vazirani, creative technologists; Carolyn Johnson, SVP, head of integrated production; Mel Senecal, VP, sr. producer; Nina Roussarie, sr. producer; Joanna Schwab, EVP, global strategy director; Jordan Berger, social strategy director. Production Hungry Man Hank Perlman, director; Kevin Byrne, managing partner/exec producer; Martha E. Davis, producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors NY Damion Clayton, editor; Sebastian Zotoff, assistant editor; Eve Kornblum, managing director; Jenny Greenfield, producer. Post/VFX MPC Matthew Loranger, exec producer; Chris Connolly, VFX producer; Tim Crean, VFX supervisor/Flame lead; Julien Aucouturier, Lawrence Merrill, 2D team; Jaswan Prasath, Sathish Chellappan, Shyam Babu, Yasasvini Vagampalli, Muruga T, Vishal Dark, Geetesh Tari, VFX team; Ricky Gausis, James Tillett, sr. colorists; Sasha Pace, producer. Music JSM Music Joel Simon, CCO/co-composer; Jeff Fiorello, exec producer; Becca Riter, co-composer.
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
