An intriguing ad for Vanish has won Channel 4’s Diversity in Advertising Award. Directed by Tom Hooper – who made the film Cats, of all things – it tells the story of Ash, a girl who has autism.

People without much knowledge of the condition will learn a lot from the extended version of the ad. When her routine is disturbed or she is in a crowded corridor, Ash is quickly agitated. And she has a fractious relationship with her sister: autism aside, they’re teenagers, after all.

Ash’s dad uses Vanish to remove paint from her favourite hoodie, which then goes missing. It’s here we learn just how vital certain items of clothing can be to people with autism.

It’s a real eye-opener, but the story feels real too – while the brand makes an appropriately unobtrusive but vital contribution.

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