This :60 titled “The Return” opens on a distraught woman in her home, surrounded by family, her husband lost in the woods. An FBI agent paces the room as the woman looks at photos of her missing loved one. The agent sighs and lets her know that her husband’s car was found in bear country.
Finally, though, everyone is relieved as her husband limps in the door and hugs her. It’s an emotional return–until she smells him. “Three days…and you come home smelling like a piña colada,” she says in disbelief. He explains: “That’s my Native deodorant. You SAW me put it on.” It’s been 72 hours, and she can’t believe it. She wants to know who he’s been with. “The things I did to get back to you, honey,” he says as his wife cries. The agents hold him back. Clean ingredients for 72 hours? It doesn’t add up!
Agency VCCP created this spot, one of two in a campaign for P&G personal care brand Native. Both commercials were directed by David Shafei of production house World War Seven.
Joel Kaplan, executive creative director at VCCP, said, “Native is so effective that some people have trouble believing their 72-hour odor protection claim. When we conceived the idea to show that it wasn’t the wearer who was in doubt, but those surrounding the wearer, the whole ‘unbelievable’ idea started feeling fresh and hilarious.”
Credits
Client Procter & Gamble/Native Agency VCCP US Joel Kaplan, executive creative director; Naomi Duckworth, creative director; Caroline Johnson, sr. copywriter; Kate Degen, sr. art director; Nikki Castillo Sikes, executive producer; Zach Zutler, sr. producer. Production World War Seven David Shafei, director; Jason McCormick, DP; Sloane Skala, exec producer; Michael Mitchell, line producer. Editorial Cabin Chan Hatcher, Nick Divers, editors; Molly Dollinger, Chris Messier, David Soto, assistant editors; Lisa Barnable, head of production; Adam Becht, exec producer; Grace Hammerstein, producer. Sound Design & Mix Lime Studios Jeff Malen, Dave Wagg, mixers; Matthew Conzelmann, audio assistant; Susie Boyajan, exec producer. Color Picture Shop Tim Stipan, colorist; Kalvin Johnson, color assist; Jennifer Heeber, producer. Online Shape and Light Aidan Thomas, creative director; Denley Ryan, Sam Kolber, lead Flame artists; Austin Lewis, Eugene Vernikov, Flame assists; Jade Fuller, Arielle Weir, VFX producers; Crystal Rossmann, 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
