Wait Until 8th Launches Harrowing PSA to Protect Kids from Smartphones
Wait Until 8th – a nationwide movement of parents pledging not to give their children smartphones until after eighth grade – has released a poignant PSA depicting the psychological harm smartphones and social media inflict on young children. Peer pressure is arguably the biggest obstacle for parents who want to delay giving their children smartphones. Wait Until 8th helps them overcome this by providing a platform of solidarity, where parents can form communities of smartphone-free children.
Directed by Kevin Berlandi of Durable Goods, the spot explores themes of anxiety, bullying, insecurity, and the too-early loss of innocence. In the spot, we see a young girl receive a smartphone for her birthday. She instantly snaps a selfie, which triggers a series of heartbreaking and toxic social media interactions that appear as if they are happening in real life.
"This film not only shows how smartphones rob children of their joy and innocence but also provides content for parents who have already made the Wait Until 8th pledge, helping them recruit others to join the movement,” remarked Brooke Shannon, founder of Wait Until 8th.
Berlandi, a father and advocate of Wait Until 8th, produced the film in collaboration with agency creative Kim Jones Linn. The grassroots effort brought together an army of industry specialists, with Cabin Edit, Alter Ego Studios, Lime Studios, Spark Casting, and Alternative Rentals all donating their talent and resources to the project.
“Childhood ought to be the most enjoyable time of human life, but sadly, that’s not the case anymore,” explained Kevin, who got involved with Wait Until 8th after reading Jonathan Haidt’s book, The Anxious Generation. “The book brought into focus the epidemic of anxiety, depression, and mental illness in today’s youth, citing smartphones, social media, and 24/7 internet access as major culprits. So, as a father, addressing this issue by joining the Wait Until 8th movement and making this film was a necessity for me.”
Drawing inspiration from classic PSAs like “This is your brain on drugs” and David Fincher's smoking fetus ad, Berlandi and Linn posed the question: What if all these toxic online people were in the living room with your child?
“You’d never invite these people into your home, yet we do precisely that every time we hand a child a smartphone with access to social media,” remarked Kevin. “We aimed to achieve a ‘sticky’ effect – something that, once seen, could not be unseen. The key was making the story simple and digestible, yet visually stark, to evoke a powerful fear factor rooted in truth, while steering away from exaggeration or shock for its own sake.”
According to Berlandi, casting was critical as the film required a young girl who could portray a range of emotions without being traumatized or harmed in portraying the sensitive subject matter.
“You can’t make a film about child welfare and then harm a child,” said Kevin. “This spot hinged on our talented young actor’s performance. She was a complete joy and a true professional beyond her years. Our entire crew took great care to ensure her mental wellness was a top priority throughout the process.”
“We are extremely grateful to the many people who donated their talents to bring more exposure to Wait Until 8th,” concluded Brooke. “Everyone went above and beyond, and we are thrilled that the film is gaining traction and counteracting the existential dangers smartphones pose to our children.”
See more work from Durable Goods here.
