Sandy Hook Promise’s latest film centers on the teddy bears that memorialize school shootings

A teddy bear symbolizes a sinister and tragic reality rather than childhood wonder in a new PSA from gun violence prevention organization Sandy Hook Promise. “A Teddy Bear’s Dream,” created by BBDO and directed by Smuggler’s Henry-Alex Rubin, is a powerful film that takes viewers through the dreams and aspirations of a teddy bear who imagines that the child beholding him will share a life of positive memories, companionship and adventures. Instead, the reality is that she is buying the bear to leave him outside the site of a school shooting. The teddy bear juxtaposes the carefree nature that childhood is supposed to have with the devastating reality of gun violence. The PSA features multiple real-life images of teddy bears placed at shrines from past school shootings and is set to “Best Friends” from the Disney classic film “The Fox and the Hound.” The campaign concept came as Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, received teddy bears in honor of her son Dylan in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012, among more than 60,000 bears sent to the Newton, Connecticut, community from around the world. Also read: Sandy Hook Promise’s new PSA stars comedians, but it’s no laughing matter The goal is to drive people to Sandy Hook Promise’s website to educate parents and families on the warning signs of a possible school shooting. According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, there were more than 320 incidents where a gun was brandished or fired on school grounds in 2024. This is the second-highest year for gun violence at schools ever recorded. “All across this country, there are tragic stories we will never hear about because a brave upstander recognized warning signs and did something to prevent a violent act,” said Hockley in a statement. “Each of those stories are young lives saved and a community shielded from the trauma of gun violence.” Meanwhile, for the first time since launching in 2018, the National Crisis Center of the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System recorded “planned school attack” as one of the top five tip types received in 2024. In addition to the PSA, Sandy Hook Promise created “Memorial Bears” that transform into “Hope Bears” that detail how we can prevent school shootings. The bears were shared with influencers, media and policymakers as a symbol of the cultural change Sandy Hook Promise is working to make through its initiatives. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Sandy Hook Promise’s latest film centers on the teddy bears that memorialize school shootings

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