Advertising has more than its share of recurring tropes, but there's one I earnestly never get tired of: Kids writing big-budget ads in their own words.
Back in 2012, no less than Wes Anderson directed a Sony Mobile spot that featured an 8-year-old's description of his vision of how three tiny robots power the brand's Xperia smartphone. (If you're a true ad nerd, you might enjoy reading all about the fascinating backstory of that ad here.)
We've seen this approach many other times, sometimes even extended to imaginative adults, such as in Droga5's series of Johnsonville ads dreamed up by the sausage brand's own employees.
So Lego's new spot, shot in an Instagram- friendly vertical format and made from children's own ideas while playing with the Lego City Police set, is part of a fun legacy, but it's also just a wonderful example of playful storytelling.
I don't have to tell you that Lego is one of the best brands out there when it comes to engaging with and respecting their audiences. (My mother came close to being the first U.S. woman in space, and I'll always treasure watching her and my son assemble the "Women in NASA" set that debuted a few years back.)
What's especially impressive is that this new ad was created in-house by The Lego Agency (with production house Hobby Film). While Lego has one of the best agencies in the business with BETC—Adweek's International Agency of the Year for 2019—the brand also clearly has its own internal creative chops.
Be sure to check out the new Lego spot and then let me know, via the email below or at @Griner on Twitter, whether you have a favorite Lego set. Btw if you've ever completed that gigantic Saturn V kit, I give you my props and my condolences to your bank account.
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com
