Monsters

Monsters is a 60-second public service announcement produced by Euro RSCG (Havas Worldwide) with Grillifilms, Sauna International & Studio Arkadena for the Finnish organization Fragile Childhood, which aims to prevent substance abuse. The PSA depicts drunk parents as scary monsters in the eyes of their children. Mikko Lehtinen directed the film.

Background
The Fragile Childhood campaign, initiated in 1986, has evolved into a prominent organization in Finland, aiming to support children affected by parental alcohol misuse. The campaign's primary objective is to provide a platform for individuals to anonymously engage in discussions and share their perspectives on responsible parental drinking. Research conducted by the organization in 2011 revealed that a significant portion of children and young people in Finland have encountered detrimental effects stemming from alcohol use at home, including exposure to conflicts, psychological distress, and erosion of trust.

Synopsis
"Sadly, the kinds of monsters we fear as kids are usually not the ones we actually end up encountering as kids. - Joe Berkowitz, Fast Company"

Monsters portrays the issue of adult alcohol misuse from a child's point of view. The video features several children who appear visibly frightened while staring at something outside the camera's view. Later, the video reveals that each child is looking at a "monster," which is a horrifying figure such as a giant rabbit, a zombie-like woman, a scary Santa Claus, or a sinister clown. However, it is later revealed that these monsters are actually the children's drunken parents. By depicting the "monster" of a parent in everyday childhood situations and showing it only from the affected child's perspective, the video powerfully demonstrates the fear and loneliness that children experience while living with such a "monster."

The PSA was aired in Finnish television and later published on YouTube on 11th September, 2012.

Reception
"What you’re about to see just might be the creepiest and most terrifying public service announcement anywhere in the world right now. - CNN"

After 10 days of posting, Monsters gathered more than one million views on YouTube, thanks to global attention. The commercial has also attracted great attention internationally, as it has been watched in each of the approximately 200 countries around the world, and the key media on all continents have covered the topic. Some media includes CNN, Huffington Post, CBS, NBC, RTL, MSN, Fokus, RPP, Der Spiegel, BBC, LA Times, Gawker, Fast Company, Euronews, and so on. Outside of Finnish television, Euronews also aired the PSA. The campaign received over 9,000 media hits in the month after launch, and PR worth millions of euros. It was in the top ten most talked about topics in the political and social category in 2012, based on the Viral Video Chart. The international attention came as a surprise to its creators.

Awards

 * Epica Awards 2012 - Bronze
 * EACA Care Awards 2013 - Grand Prix
 * Golden Drum 2013 - Golden Drum
 * Cresta Awards 2013 - Gold
 * New York Festivals Advertising Awards
 * Cannes Lion - Golden Lion

Credits

 * Ad Agency: Havas Worldwide, Helsinki
 * Creative Director: Marko Vuorensola
 * Director: Mikko Lehtinen
 * Copywriter: Annu Terho, Paul Earl
 * Art Director: Tina Fratnik, Marko Vuorensola
 * Production Company: Sauna@Grillifilms, Helsinki, Studio Arkadena
 * Producer: Hana Kovic
 * Executive Producer: Petteri Lehtinen
 * Digital Producer: Barabra Oy
 * Director of Photography: Jure Verovsek
 * Production Designer: Spela Kropusek
 * Flame Artist: Sakari Raappana
 * Editor: Anders Meinander
 * Colourist: Marko Terävä
 * Music Composer: Tuomas Kallio
 * Sound Designer: Timo Anttila, Anders Meinander
 * Production Coordinator: Mia Ekman, Urska Vardijan
 * Production Manager: Tina Pungartnik
 * Post Production: Post Control
 * Project Coordinator: Janne Takala
 * Planner: Muusa Salminen
 * Account Director: Nina Myllyharju