Montefiore Einstein

Holiday

Each holiday season, we partner with Montefiore Einstein to celebrate a different department and share something simple and powerful: the gift of health.

What began in 2020 as a tribute to frontline workers has since become a lasting tradition. Now in its fifth year, the campaign continues to remind us that even in the busiest season, care is still the most generous gift.

Praise
  • 1 x Silver, 2 x Bronze, 11 x Finalists
  • 2 x Graphite, 2 x Wood
  • 1 x Silver, 1 x Bronze
  • Top 10 Best Ads Worldwide 2023

THE RAREST STARS SHINE BRIGHTEST, 2024

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Montefiore Einstein - The Rarest Stars Shine Brightest (Long-form Film)
Our 2024 campaign set out to do more than raise awareness. It aimed to shift perceptions.

Children with rare diseases are often portrayed as fragile or defined by their diagnosis. This campaign reimagined them as what they truly are: unstoppable heroes.

No token characters. No pity. Just brilliant, hilarious, fearless kids.

We cast real children with rare diseases and let their personalities lead the film.

The Challenge

The brief was to position Montefiore Einstein as a global leader in rare disease while showing the strength of the kids living with it.

This was not about overcoming obstacles. It was about outsmarting the universe with grit, creativity and New York attitude.

The plot? A rogue hamster chews through a power line and plunges New York into darkness.

With the city ready to cancel the holidays, five scrappy kids refuse to let that happen.

Their plan? Build a rocket out of junk, fly to space and steal stars from the Milky Way to relight the city.

Our Approach

To bring this world to life, we cast real kids and let them drive the story.

We built a rocket from car parts, kitchen appliances and a broken PlayStation, giving it the perfect patched-together feel. The tone mixed big adventure with fast talking, street-smart comedy, inspired by films like The Goonies and Stand By Me.

The Impact

The result? A high-energy, completely original epic holiday space caper that flipped the script on how kids with rare diseases are seen.

These kids were not waiting to be saved. They were saving the holidays, saving New York and proving that the brightest stars aren't in space.

The best holiday ads of 2024

Tim NuddAd Age

There's Magic in All of Us, 2023

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There's Magic in All of Us (Case Study Film)

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Solo: There's Magic in All of Us (Long-form Film)

Eye tracking opens up a world of possibilities
for a child with cerebral palsy in Alto and
Tom Hooper’s short film.

Tim NuddAd Age

THE CHALLENGE

About four million people in the U.S. face challenges with their ability to communicate, and only an estimated 2% have access to communication aids.

Our project started with a brief to celebrate the life-changing power of eye-tracking technology. This technology, pioneered by neurologists at Montefiore Einstein Hospital, reveals the true potential of individuals incapable of speech or voluntary movement, who were previously perceived as having limited cognitive abilities. It gives such people a voice through their eye movement, revealing the amazing human beings often hidden inside.

Representing underrepresented groups
on screen really matters—yet for so long, severe disabilities have tended to be represented
by able-bodied actors.

Tom HooperOscar award-winning Director
Make art with your eyes —
an immersive opportunity to foster a deeper understanding and empathy.
View the digital experience

The campaign drives to a digital experience at MagicInAllofUs.org, which gives people the opportunity to learn about eye tracking and, through a digital tool, immerse themselves in what it feels like to express yourself using only your eyes.

THE IMPACT

10M
views in New York alone
65M
total impressions
98%
positive campaign sentiment
#3
viewed holiday ad on Youtube

The holidays are a time for magic, and few spots will feel as magical as this tale from Montefiore Einstein.

—Muse by Clio

The Holiday Train, 2022

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An Urgent Holiday Tale, 2021

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7PM State of Gratitude, 2020

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Montefiore Einstein
  • Brand Strategy
  • Creative
  • Production: Film, Digital, Print, OOH
  • Talent Management and Contracts
  • Communications Planning
AdAge feature graphic announcing Life360 as one of America’s Hottest Brands 2025, with a quote from CMO Mike Zeman about campaign success, overlaid on animated artwork and Alto branding
Actor Brad Pitt in a racing suit with Expensify and APX GP logos, featured in a Fast Company and Alto podcast promotion about brand placement in the movie "F1."
Rocket launching over a city skyline at dusk, highlighting Alto’s Cannes Lions wins for the Montefiore Einstein “Rarest Stars” campaign, including 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, and 6 finalist honors.
Ad Age "Best Ads of 2025 (so far)"
Black-and-white portrait of Ed Rogers, Managing Partner at Alto, featured in Campaign’s “40 Over 40” list, with bold red and white typography highlighting the recognition.
Close-up of a boy’s face in dim light, featuring Alto’s Cannes Lions wins for the Life360 “Family-Proof Your Family” campaign, including 1 Silver, 1 Bronze, and 3 finalist honors.
Close-up of a man in military uniform adjusting his hat, highlighting Alto’s Cannes Lions achievements for Montefiore Einstein’s “The Comeback” campaign with 4 finalist honors.
Shadow of Batman projected on a wall, promoting Alto’s Cannes Lions win and finalist recognition for the “Become the Knight” campaign with Meta Reality Labs.