Lego unveils its first ever fully playable brand film

The Lego Group has released its new 'Play Is Your Superpower' campaign featuring the brand’s first ever fully playable brand film, which celebrates the heroes that can emerge in a world that has forgotten how to play.

'Play Is Your Superpower' has been created to encourage adults to prioritise play for the children in their lives. It will run for four months with three key moments: the fall launch, World Play Day on 12 October and during the brand’s peak holiday season.

The film stars Hollywood actor Jane Lynch as a work-obsessed CEO who becomes enlightened to the merits of play by seeing its impact through the eyes of six adventurous children. Each child brings a different passion and skill to a mission to spread play in a monotonous, structured workplace. Superstar actress Sun Li takes on the role of the CEO in an adaption for families in China. The film, produced in collaboration between the Lego Group’s creative agency, Our Lego Agency (OLA), and award-winning agency Droga5 Dublin, part of Accenture Song, takes viewers on a journey that highlights the power of play.

The film was directed by cinematographer, screenwriter and producer Ellen Kuras, best known for her work on Academy Award winning Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Director of photography is Rachel Morrison, one of the first female directors of photography for a big budget superhero movie, Black Panther.

This all-female directing team worked with set designer and art director David Lee, whose credits include Star Wars and Batman Begins. The all-female directing team also partnered with new Irish post-production and VFX company GABHA Studio to complete the superpower ensemble team behind the film that takes viewers on a fun-filled journey that highlights the power of play.

The campaign draws its insights from a recent global study finding that, on average, children are spending just 2 per cent of their week (equivalent to 7 hours) playing, with one in three (32 per cent) spending less than three hours each week enjoying play. Comparatively, the average adult spends 26 hours a week scrolling on their smartphone, an average of more than 3.5 hours per day. This current play deficit is a cause for concern for experts given the crucial role of play in shaping a child's cognitive abilities, overall wellbeing and most importantly, in them having fun.

Julia Goldin, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at the Lego Group, said: “For over 90 years, we have been a champion of children and their right to play. We believe play helps children develop skills like creativity, confidence and communication that helps 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 reprioritise play in their lives.”

Nic Taylor, SVP and Head of Our Lego Agency, added: “We knew we wanted to make a big statement around the power of play this year, so we designed a campaign that celebrates just this. The film showcases the endless possibilities for play that children see, in even the dullest of situations, and shows the difference play can make to the world as the children rebuild it for the better. Jane Lynch and Sun Li add to the playfulness of the film by revealing themselves as forward-thinkers who want to overthrow the norm and inject more play into their workplace.”

Jen Speirs, Chief Creative Officer, Droga5 Dublin, part of Accenture Song, commented: “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. 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 line-up of diverse young talent that will empower both kids and adults to approach life in a more playful way and are excited to watch it unfold.”

Credits

Our LEGO Agency

SVP and Head of Agency: Nicole Taylor

Global Creative Leads: Hazel Tracey & Guy Bingham

Global Brand Communication Lead: Dan Worrell

Sr. Global Communication Partners: Simran Khaira and 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

Sr. Lead Producer: Elaine Lee

Brand Global Marketing Development Team: Alero Akuya, Lisa Nash, Kristofer Crockett, Jasmin Brennan, Rebecca Dover.

External Partners

Creative Agency: Droga5 Dublin, part of Accenture Song

Managing Director: Jimi McGrath

Chief Creative Officer: Jen Speirs

Chief Strategy Officer: Emma Sharkey

Head of Production: Jessica Bermingham

Creative Directors: Stephen Rogers & Edward Redgrave

Senior Art Director: Lucas Oliviera

Senior Copywriter: Anthony Ortuso

Copywriters: Emmet Heneghan & Ruby Norman-Curran

Senior Strategist: Lorna Tutty

Group Account Director: Sam MacDonnell

Client Operations Lead: Caitriona Coakley

Account Director: Luiza Boerescu

Senior Account Managers: Lisa Haran & Rian McCarthy

Account Manager: Catherine Coffey

Senior Project Manager: Simon Ball

Executive Producer: David Lynch

Senior Producers: Karina Cotter & Aisling O’Dwyer

Producer: Siobhan Coakley

Creative Build: Evan Greally & 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

DoP: Rachel Morrison

Production Manager: Sima Kutsenko

Production Designer: David Lee

1st AD: Shakir Hafoudh

Service Production Company: Unit & Sofa

Executive Producer: Fady Salame, Martin Sobotka & Veronika Hajkova

Line Producer: Jan Hlvasa

Production Manager: Robert Zapletal & Klara Botlikova

Casting UK: Kharmel Cochrane Casting

Casting Canada: Ground Class 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 Supervisors: Daniel Morris & Jan Huebel

· Executive Producer: Dafydd Upsdell

Colourist: Andy Francis

CG: GABHA & Rohtau

Rohtau Executive Creative Director: Jordi Bares

Rohtau Creative Director: Dragos Stefan

Rohtau Executive Producer: Josh King

Rohtau Senior Producer: Julie Nixon

Audio Post Production: String and Tins

Music and Composition Arrangement: Joseph Alexander

Additional Music Composition and Production: Jim Stewart

Sound Designers: Will Cohen, Jim Stewart

Foley: Earthsound