There are a select few brands that have forged a holiday connection with consumers – one where people across the country look forward to a special type of heartfelt advertising that embodies the magic of the holiday season. And while Coke has its (artificially generated) polar bears and Budweiser the Clydesdales, New York’s Montefiore Einstein health system has spent the last five years earning its way into that elite group (thanks, in large part, to help from its creative partner Alto).
Since 2020, each year has marked the release of a unique holiday film centered on the amazing work, patients, and doctors of Montefiore Einstein, with each season bringing focus to a different life-saving capability or aspect of the health system. It started with a simple idea: how can we create a meaningful moment to celebrate our health around Thanksgiving and the holidays?
Now, during this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, the acclaimed Academic Medical Center released the latest addition to that collection, introducing “The Rarest Stars Shine Brightest,” a 3-minute film that raises awareness of Montefiore Einstein as a global leader in rare diseases while showcasing the resilience of children living with rare disease.
At the forefront of academic research, education, and clinical care, Montefiore Einstein’s multidisciplinary team of world-renowned specialists utilizes the latest and most advanced diagnostics, treatments, and technologies, including next-generation genomic sequencing, AI, and newly emerging therapeutics, emphasizing better understanding the impact of rare disease on diverse populations.
This magical story is about a ragtag group of kids with rare diseases, who tap into their resilience to save the holidays for all of New York. The film stars five children living with rare conditions, including Piebaldism, Achondroplasia, Amplified Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia dwarfism, and Ehlers-danlos syndrome.
It tells the story of how each of these real-life heroes turn their everyday resilience into a holiday-saving mission, with the idea of bringing light back to New York after a citywide blackout nearly cancels the holidays. Throwing back to many “kids save the day” action comedies of years past, the film calls to mind Hollywood classics like the “The Goonies” and “E.T.”.
Directed by Cannes Grand Prix winner Steve Rogers, the film captures both the magic of the holidays and the perseverance of young people who face more by breakfast than many do all year. The film is complemented by a one-of-a-kind OOH campaign created in collaboration with award-winning artist Steve Chorney. Known largely for his work creating iconic hand-drawn movie posters (“Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” to name a few).
“Brightest Stars” is live today across TV, social, OTT, OOH, and digital, following its debut opening during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on NBC. The integrated campaign leads to a stunning digital experience inviting you on an odyssey to learn more about rare diseases, meet its heroes and learn more about Montefiore Einstein’s expertise in the field.
“The biggest gift we can receive is our health, and celebrating it with Montefiore Einstein’s holiday films on Thanksgiving is a very meaningful experience,” said Hannes Ciatti, Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Alto. “The vision of SVP, CMO Loreen Babcock, to put the academic medical center at the heart of this kind of magical storytelling has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the community and physicians that make magic happen every day. We’re so proud and thankful of the five years of work with incredible talent, and this year’s film takes our efforts to new heights.”
“The challenge of telling a holiday film featuring intergalactic travel, astronautical engineering and recalcitrant animals, starring five kids with rare diseases who had never acted before was considerable,” said Steve Rogers, the film’s director. “Fortunately, the kids were not only up to the challenge, but were incredible every day – smart, funny, resourceful and kind. Being able to help these kids show their fearlessness in the face of enormous adversity and have some fun doing it was a rare pleasure.”
