Once again, this holiday season, BBDO New York and the American Red Cross have launched a campaign underscoring the urgent needs of families disrupted by disasters--something that occurs every eight minutes across the country, over 7,000 times during the
holidays alone.

Running on TV and online through December, the campaign include this PSA titled “Packing,” directed by Anthony Frattolillo via One Free Play. The spot begins with a family that appears to be preparing for a trip. But the mood shifts dramatically when it is revealed the reason they are really packing is an imminent wildfire, and that they are evacuating to a Red Cross shelter. The spot ends with a call to action: “They’re relying on us. We’re relying on you. Please donate.”

BBDO associate creative director Nicole Dombey shared, “I experienced an evacuation as a child, and I’ll never forget the quiet confusion of that moment. As a team, we wanted to capture that mix of innocence and uncertainty families feel in those moments.”
Director Frattolillo stated, “I’ve packed that same car three times, sat in that same traffic jam, worrying about my safety and the safety of my family, thinking we might not see home again. So when we made this film, I wanted people to feel what that moment is really like, the fear, the uncertainty, and the hope that someone will be there when you need them most.”