Grey New York and its client, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, won a silver Lion in Film at Cannes last year for "Ed," their brutal spot about gun violence, set in a workplace.
The sequel, released today, titled "The Monster Is Real," takes place in a family home. Directed by Hornet's Yves Geleyn, the spot may be a cartoon, but that makes it no less devastating. We won't give away the plot, though the conclusion doesn't exactly come as a surprise. But again, that doesn't dull the impact much.
Critics will say that the kid wouldn't play with the gun if he was this afraid of it, though of course children aren't known for tempering their curiosity, either.
"In the wake of so many tragic mass shootings, the nation's focus has been on strengthening gun laws," says Sue Hornik, executive director of States United to Prevent Gun Violence. "But one preventable threat to children's safety is unlocked and loaded guns found around the house ... the proverbial 'monster in the closet' of our new public service announcement."
In a release, the group also offered these sobering statistics:
• 1.5 million American children live in homes with unlocked and loaded firearms.
• Every day at least six children 18 and under are injured in an unintentional shooting.
• 75 percent of gun shot injuries to children under 10 that are serious enough to require hospitalization are due to unintentional shootings.
Credits below.
CREDITS
Client: States United to Prevent Gun Violence
Spot: "The Monster Is Real"
Agency: Grey
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Tor Myhren
Deputy Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Per Pedersen
Executive Creative Directors: Rob Perillo, Rob Lenois
Art Director: Evan Ortolani
Copywriter: Daniel Alvarez
Director of Broadcast: Bennett McCarroll
Agency Executive Producer: James McPherson
Agency Producer: Zach Fleming
Account Director: Elizabeth Gilchrist
Account Executive: John Nelson
Production Company: Hornet
Director: Yves Geleyn
Executive Producer: Jan Stebbins
Composer: Mark Mothersbaugh
Music Company: Mutato Muzika
Music Producer: Natalie Montgomery
Music Engineer: Bradley Denniston
Music Supervision: Zach Pollakoff
Music, Sound Design: Dante Desole (Vision Post)
Principal Talent: Samantha Mathis, Anthony Arkin