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So there's this kid who wears a Stormtrooper helmet and I guess is therefore shunned as an outcast. Then everyone sees a Rogue One trailer and the next day everyone inexplicably has Stormtrooper helmets on too and they hug the kid, who is revealed to require some sort of breathing assistance mask.

I feel like I'm missing something. Is the video saying that the kid was the only Star Wars fan and everyone else wasn't until they saw the trailer? If so, why does everyone act like they've never heard of Star Wars before the trailer? Why would they stop shunning the kid just because they now like Star Wars? Is the message saying that Star Wars brings people together and makes them stop shunning/bullying etc.? What's the storyline and/or message of the video?

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  • Small girl has cancer (or something) and wears a stormtrooper helmet to school to hide her oxygen mask and short hair. The next day, her class all wear helmets to make her feel less different. Cut to hashtag and end credits.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:12
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    @Valorum plot twist: the kid wanted to be different, so when they saw everyone else wearing helmets too, the kid took the helmet off so as to remain unique and different. ;) (Also I still don't get the video)
    – RedCaio
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:19
  • I think she's supposed to have taken the helmet off because she now feels accepted by her peers. Also, so she can see them better, presumably.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:26

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Per the CreativityOnline blog, the advertising spot has a fairly simple message. Small girl is suffering from a debilitating illness that requires her to wear a breathing mask and wears a stormtrooper helmet to cover it up. Her classmates then dress like her (in identical stormtrooper helmets) to make her feel less different, in much the same way that real life classes of children have shaved their heads in support of their classmates suffering from cancer.

The spot takes us through a day in her life and we see her wearing the big white mask in the classroom, eating breakfast, brushing her teeth, riding her bike and holding dance-offs at home. Throughout, she draws stares from passersby and her brother stands by loyally.

A new day begins and she's back at school, but this time, when she enters the classroom, it's filled with fellow Stormtroopers. On seeing them, she removes her mask, and the spot's heart-tugging surprise is revealed. The spot was directed by Joel Limchoc out of Film Pabrika.

According to Brandie Tan, one of the ECDs on the campaign (now at JWT), the campaign encourages consumers to #CreateCourage and post pictures of themselves in a Stormtrooper helmet with that hashtag. Some lucky participants will also earn a trip to the U.S.

The effort also asks consumers to donate to the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation to help lift the spirits of the young patients in its pediatric ward, similar to the film's partnership with Duracell, which included a tie-up with Children's Miracle Network.

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    So 1) before the Rogue One trailer, they had never heard of Star Wars but because of Rogue One, they can now relate to the kid's fandom? Or 2) they knew about Star Wars but didn't like it until Rogue One, so only now are they being nice to the kid? Or 3) the kid only just recently got sick and started wearing the helmet and the classmates, who know about and like Star Wars, only got the idea after seeing the trailer?
    – RedCaio
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:37
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    @RedCaio - It appears to be her first day of school, hence they'd only just met her. The teacher seems to be quite indulgent of her desire to wear a Star Wars themed helmet and has organised (or at least allowed) a Star Wars themed classroom activity to show that she doesn't need to feel different.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:40
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    The implication is that this fictional story is the (fictional) inspiration for the GlobeTelecom campaign to wear stormtrooper helmets to show solidarity with small children who're in the Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation paediatric ward.
    – Valorum
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 0:42
  • The whole class found the courage to dress up as identical fascist grunts named and modeled after the soldiers of a regime that probably would have considered all those children untermenschen (doubly for the one with a breathing disability). And then everyone cheered and emptied their piggy banks into Lucasfilm's wallet while Jesus gave the thumbs-up sign!
    – Adamant
    Commented Dec 4 at 5:04
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The ad is showing that while needing a breathing device, that kid looks different and needs different treatment because they are special (because of the disease or the inability or something that is affecting the health of that kid), so the kid wears the stormtrooper mask to hide her problem in shame or fear of judgement. The second day, they all wear masks so she doesn't feel like a reject because of her problem, they give the kid the courage to show her problem to everyone, without fear of judgement. That is my interpretation of the ad.

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