Partnership to End Addiction has launched a campaign emphasizing the importance of personal connection in addressing our nation’s drug and alcohol addiction crisis. The “Start with Connection” campaign from agency DiMassimo Goldstein features a 3D-animated series of ads, including this piece in which parents are urged to reduce the emotional distance between them and their kids as a means to help combat substance abuse. The public service work is driven in part by the song “Salt and the Sea” by twice Grammy-nominated band The Lumineers.
“The loneliness and isolation of the pandemic are exacerbating the addiction crisis at an alarming rate,” said Emily Moyer, chief marketing officer at Partnership to End Addiction. “While everyone is talking about physical distancing and wearing masks, we are encouraging family members to begin closing emotional distance in the home.”
Bonfire served as the VFX and animation studio.
Credits
Client Partnership to End Addiction Agency DiMassimo Goldstein Mark DiMassimo, creative chief; Paul Fix, executive creative director; Chris Martin, creative director; Claudia Mark, head of design/creative director; Katheryn Renfroe, associate creative director/art director; Trevor Hickey, associate creative director/writer; Ernest Chan, jr. art director; Matt Peters, associate design director; Karen Tomlin, director of integrated production; Quentin Webb, studio director. VFX Bonfire, New York Aron Baxter, creative director; Brendan O’Neill, co-creative director; Jason Mayo, managing director; Tierney Farrell, sr. producer. CG Partner (Juice) Hanna Czyzewski, art director; Jakub Wrzalik, supervisor; Olga Rabiecka, producer. (Toolbox: Unreal, Quixel, Megascans, Maya, Flame, After Effects, Premier Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator) Music Supervision & Sound Design JSM Music Joel Simon, chief creative officer/CEO; Jeff Fiorello, VP/exec producer; Nathan Kil, sound design. Music “Salt and the Sea” by The Lumineers
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
