Jamie Rafn of Smuggler directed this American Family Insurance spot for BBDO NY in which a brother fulfills his sister’s dreams by embarking on a road trip to visit places on her bucket list.
Titled “Road Trip,” the commercial continues American Family Insurance’s series of optimistic stories, following the 2016’s “Dad Insurance” and last year’s “Duet” featuring Jennifer Hudson.
Client American Family Insurance Agency BBDO New York David Lubars, worldwide chief creative officer; Greg Hahn, chief creative officer, NY; Susan Golkin executive creative director; Mike Folino, Luis Romero, creative directors; Dave Rolfe, head of integrated production; Becky Burkhard, exec producer; Danielle Amico, interactive producer; Rani Vaz, head of music production; John Melillo, music producer; Erin Breen, head of art production; Lizzy Lehn, associate art producer. Production Smuggler Jamie Rafn, director; Drew Santarsiero, Patrick Milling-Smith, Brian Carmody, exec producers; Ray Leakey, producer; Jody Lee Lipes, DP. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Adam Pertofsky, editor; Eve Kornblum, exec producer; Lisa Barnable, producer; Marjorie Sacks, Anne-Laure Dhooghe, assistant editors. Post/VFX MPC Jess Kurnit, exec producer; Aiste Akelaityte, 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 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
