Hill Holliday Teams With Vine Influencer for Above the Influence Campaign

By Erik Oster 

Hill Holliday teamed up with Vine influencer Maris Jones for its “Who Controls You?” campaign for Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’ Above the Influence. 

HH created the spot (with Jones directing) using stop-motion animation applied to a live-action setting, something of a change of pace from the norm for the technique. A series of scenes shows how peer pressure influences teens in scenarios involving relationships, body image, bullying and, of course, drugs (specifically alcohol and pills) via a hand reaching into the scene and manipulating them. In one scene, a girl’s sandwich is pushed away while she reads a magazine with ultra-thin models; in another a teen repeatedly pushes away a red cup, but it keeps getting pushed back. The PSA ends with the question, “If you’re not in control, who is?”

Hill Holliday worked with WAX editor Christopher Huth team up with Sonic Union mix engineer David Papa to bring the scenes to life. Supporting the 30-second PSA are series of shorter spots culled from its footage and “PositivATI,” an online video game created with digital production company We Are Royale which allows users to shoot at negative tweets, which are then replaced with positive ones tweeted out by the game. 

“Partnering with a young, talented social media influencer like Maris lent such a unique and authentic voice to the campaign,” said Partnership for Drug-Free Kids chief marketing officer Kristi Rowe, in a statment. “Combining the extraordinary insight and passion of the Hill Holliday team with Maris’ distinct artistry brought an unexpected style to the campaign that makes this creative truly break through.”

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Credits:
Client: Above the Influence – Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
Agency: Hill Holliday
Chief Creative Officer: Lance Jensen
Group Creative Director: Kevin Daley
Creative Director: Rick McHugh
Copywriter: Amanda Roberts
Art Director: Alyssa Fishman
Agency Producer: Colin Sweeney, Bryan Sweeney
Account Team: Jeff Nowak, Kelly Sullivan
Project Manager: Julie Heger
Planner (Strategy Director): Ross Cidlowski
Production Company: Adolescent
Executive Producer: Hope Farley
Director: Maris Jones
Cinematographer: Ramaa Mosley
Line Producer: Tara Saxson
Edit House: WAX
Editor: Christopher Huth
Assistant Editor: Jean Taylor
Managing Partner/EP: Toni Lipari
Post Producer: Evan Meeker
Colorist: Stephen Picano
Audio Company: Sonic Union
Mix Engineer: David Papa
Studio Director: Justine Cortale

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