In a charming new ad from Brazil, for its Baby Alive doll, Hasbro breaks new ground for the category by highlighting the benefits of boys playing with dolls.

The spot, created by Ogilvy Brazil, starts off by asking what children are doing when playing with dolls. It goes to show both boys and little girls playing with the doll as if it were a baby, including pretending to change diapers, bottle feeding and tucking it into bed. The ad highlights that the child playing with a doll is not only “practicing caring” but “becoming a better person."

“Our challenge is to show that both girls and boys can learn a lot from playing with dolls. This is a free-spirited, playful gesture that nurtures love and that counts for much in helping children growing up to become human beings who care for one another,” says Kellen Silverio, marketing director for Hasbro, in a statement. 

The ad, directed by Will Mazzola of Corazon Films, has been released in digital media channels and is available on the Baby Alive social media channels.