Jane Lynch and a band of precocious kids star in Lego’s short film about the power of play
Droga5 Dublin worked with Lego’s in-house team for a twist on ‘Bring Your Kids to Work Day’
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Bring Your Kids to Work Day proves to be a lot more enlightening for the adults than the children in Lego’s new global short film, in which merry band of youngsters—armed with Legos, which turn them into superheroes—disrupt the gloomy workplace where their parents toil away sullenly.
The five minute-film was directed by Ellen Kuras (cinematographer on “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” among other films), who worked with DP Rachel Morrison (“Black Panther”). It also features a cameo at the end by Jane Lynch, who plays a work-obsessed CEO at the fictional Yalpcorp—“yalp” is “play” spelled backward—who in the end is impressed by the kids’ highjinks. (Actress Sun Li plays the CEO role in an adaptation of the film for China.)
The campaign, themed “Play Is Your Superpower,” is part of the toy marketer’s “Rebuild the World” effort, which launched in 2019.
The campaign emerged from research suggesting that free play—as opposed to structured, achievement-based activities as well as screen time—is under threat. On average, children are spending just 2% of their week (about seven hours) engaging in free play. The new campaign emphasized the importance of play in childhood development and the role it has in bringing fun to families around the world.
“For over 90 years, we have been a champion of children and their right to play,” said Julia Goldin, chief product and marketing officer at the Lego Group. “We believe play helps children develop skills like creativity, confidence and communication that help them learn and thrive today and in the future. Our ‘Rebuild the World’ platform has helped us celebrate the power of play since 2019, and we’re excited by the next iteration of the campaign to inspire people of all ages to reprioritize play in their lives.”
There is a “playable” version of the film at Lego.com, which prompts viewers with questions about the film and rewards correct answers by unlocking other interactive content. The campaign also encompasses TV, digital, out of home, cinema, PR, influencer, in-store and e-commerce.
“Our creative team were on a mission to develop a campaign idea that was big enough to flex across the three key moments from fall, right through to the holidays, and ‘Play Is Your Superpower’ is exactly that,” said Jen Speirs, chief creative officer of Droga5 Dublin, part of Accenture Song. “Of course, the only way to launch an idea like this was with a brand film that mimics a true superhero epic and opens people’s eyes to the wonders of play, which has actual ways to play hidden inside. We’re proud to have created a piece that features a lineup of diverse young talent that will empower both kids and adults to approach life in a more playful way.”
The influencer group for the campaign, dubbed “The Play Squad,” includes Tan France, Naomi Watanabe, Bindi Irwin and Stephanie Beatriz.
Credits
- Date
- Sep 22, 2023
- Client :
- Lego
- Agency :
- Droga5-Dublin
- SVP & Head of Agency :
- Nicole Taylor
- Global Creative Lead :
- Hazel Tracey
- Global Creative Lead :
- Guy Bingham
- Global Brand Communication Lead :
- Dan Worrell
- Sr. Global Communication Partner :
- Simran Khaira
- Sr. Global Communication Partner :
- Lino Fortes
- Global Brand Strategist :
- Rebecca Price
- Global Communication Strategist :
- Richard Yardley
- Sr. Social Strategist :
- Natalie Williams
- Sr. Global Project Manager :
- Kenneth Sanchez
- Head of Production :
- Uffe Bryld
- Senior Lead Producer :
- Elaine Lee
- Brand Global Marketing Development Team :
- Alero Akuya
- Brand Global Marketing Development Team :
- Lisa Nash
- Brand Global Marketing Development Team :
- Kristofer Crockett
- Brand Global Marketing Development Team :
- Jasmin Brennan
- Brand Global Marketing Development Team :
- Rebecca Dover
- Managing Director :
- Jimi McGrath
- Chief Creative Officer :
- Jen Speirs
- Chief Strategy Officer :
- Emma Sharkey
- Head of Production :
- Jessica Bermingham
- Creative Director :
- Stephen Rogers
- Creative Director :
- Edward Redgrave
- Senior Art Director :
- Lucas Oliviera
- Senior Copywriter :
- Anthony Ortuso
- Copywriter :
- Emmet Heneghan
- Copywriter :
- Ruby Norman-Curran
- Senior Strategist :
- Lorna Tutty
- Group Account Director :
- Sam MacDonnell
- Client Operations Lead :
- Caitriona Coakley
- Account Director :
- Luiza Boerescu
- Senior Account Manager :
- Lisa Haran
- Senior Account Manager :
- Rian McCarthy
- Account Manager :
- Catherine Coffey
- Senior Project Manager :
- Simon Ball
- Executive Producer :
- David Lynch
- Senior Producer :
- Karina Cotter
- Senior Producer :
- Aisling O'Dwyer
- Producer :
- Siobhan Coakley
- Creative Build :
- Evan Greally
- Creative Build :
- TJ Ryan
- Business Affairs Director :
- Christina McGuckian
- Production Company :
- The Corner Shop
- Director :
- Ellen Kuras
- Founder/Executive Producer :
- Anna Hashmi
- Executive Producer/ Producer :
- Tess Mitchell
- Executive Producer :
- Sara Wallace
- DOP :
- Rachel Morrison
- Production Manager :
- Sima Kutsenko
- Production Designer :
- David Lee
- 1st AD :
- Shakir Hafoudh
- Service Production Company :
- Unit & Sofa
- Executive Producer :
- Fady Salame
- Executive Producer :
- Martin Sobotka
- Executive Producer :
- Veronika Hajkova
- Line Producer :
- Jan Hlavsa
- Production Manager :
- Robert Zapletal
- Production Manager :
- Klara Botlikova
- Casting :
- Kharmel Cochrane Casting
- Casting :
- Ground Class Casting
- Casting :
- Mann Casting
- Editorial Company :
- Union Editorial
- Editor :
- Marco Perez
- Assistant Editor :
- Joshua Sampson
- Post Production :
- Gabha Studios
- VFX Supervisor & Creative Director :
- Daniel Morris
- On Set VFX Supervisor :
- Jan Huebel
- Executive Producer :
- Dafydd Upsdell
- Colorist :
- Andy Francis
- CG :
- Gabha Studios
- CG :
- Rohtau
- Executive Creative Director :
- Jordi Bares
- Creative Director :
- Dragos Stefan
- Executive Producer :
- Josh King
- Senior Producer :
- Julie Nixon
- Audio Post Production :
- String & Tins
- Music and Composition Arrangement :
- Joseph Alexander
- Additional Music :
- Jim Stewart
- Sound Designer :
- Will Cohen
- Sound Designer :
- Jim Stewart
- Foley :
- Earthsound
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