As we get closer to Valentine’s Day, the Ad Council has teamed up with Amazon Ads to help to redefine love. Launching February 1, people all over the world will be able to ask “Alexa, what is love?” to hear others’ interpretations of love and be inspired to take action in their own communities. This marks the latest installment of the Ad Council’s Emmy Award-winning “Love Has No Labels” campaign.
The campaign includes this documentary-style film directed by Rodney Lucas, a Brooklyn, NY-based documentarian who hails from the southside of Chicago. The film delves deeper into the lives of the people featured in Alexa’s new response, and how acts of love have helped them, and others, feel more included. In one instance, when a person asks Alexa about love, they will hear the voice of Dianne, a community leader and volunteer, who responds: “My love is in the safe space I create for Black women.” Other voices and stories are also heard.
Credits
Client The Ad Council Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer; Sheri Klein, VP, campaign development; Jenn Walters, VP, campaign director; Felicia Carmichael, director of media, social and emerging; Ariana Lee, assistant campaign manager. Creative Amazon Ads–Brand Lab Jolanta Aerts, creative director. Amazon Brand Lab Sim LeCompte, sr. copywriter; Carrie Schaer, executive producer; Stephanie LeBlond, sr. program manager; Rob Alley, head of Amazon Brand Lab, Telco & Entertainment; Alison Tintle, creative director, Amazon Alexa personality; Will North, associate creative director, Amazon Alexa personality; Robby Marston, sr. design technologist; Cassandra Krul, sr. UX/motion designer. Production Fanciful Films Rodney Lucas, director; Natalie Hill, exec producer.
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
