People need to get smart about their smartphones. Every day in the U.S. nine lives are lost as a result of distracted driving.
Yet people don’t seem to be taking heed. They often aren’t listening to others about the dangers of being on the phone while behind the wheel.
So for this commercial, GEICO tapped into a non-person who might get the message through to people–namely “Smart Dogs,” the first dogs trained to train humans.
Spoiler alert: the experiment doesn’t go too well. The good news: GEICO has a simple tip that’s highly effective–turning on “Do Not Disturb While Driving Mode” on your smartphone.
Directorial duo Terri Timely of Park Pictures helmed “Smart Dogs” for The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va. The spot debuted in April, which appropriately enough is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
Credits
Client GEICO Agency The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va. Karen Costello, chief creative officer; Jerry Hoak, executive creative director; Steve Bassett, SVP, group creative director; Neel Williams, Justin Harris, VPs/creative directors; Dave Ashton, sr. copywriter; Rushil Nadkarni, art director; Kerry Ayers, SVP, executive producer; Tasha Dean, head of integrated production. Production Park Pictures Terri Timely, director; Donavan Sell, DP; Jackie Kelman Bisbee, Dinah Rodriguez, exec producers; Anne Bobroff, head of production; David Lambert, line producer. Editorial Cut+Run Frank Effron, editor; Kelly Henson, assistant editor; Amburr Farls, exec producer; Brian Mulvey, producer. VFX & Finishing Artjail John Skeffington, head of production; Perry Tate, producer; Clinton Homuth, colorist. Audio Post Heard City Mike Vitacco, sound designer/mixer; Jackie James, exec producer. Music Butter Music & Sound Ian Jeffreys, exec producer; Kristin Kuraishi, 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
