There is a really interesting series of LEGO ads that I thought to share with you today. They were created by a French advertising agency for LEGO’s promotional campaign in France. The ads all have the slogan “Creativity Forgives Everything” and shows kids letting their imagination fly and at the same time getting in trouble. 🙂
There are seven ads in the “Creativity Forgives Everything” LEGO ad campaign. The one with the flying parachutes and the kids building inside the freezer are my absolute favorites. They bring back a lot of fond childhood memories of how my siblings and I used to incorporate everything into our LEGO creations – some (or most) not approved by our parents…
The boy letting out the bird to use the cage as a landing-pad for his helicopter, the girl replacing real flowers with LEGO flowers, and the kiddies messing around with the wedding-cake are also quite fun, although I have to say that some of those kids look pretty devilish. 😈
The little girl replacing the keyboard keys on (what I assume is) daddy’s computer is sweet too, and captures well how kids like to decorate everything with lots of colors.
Than there is grandma with the LEGO teeth… I’m not sure what was the idea there, or who is more nutty; the kid or grandma. But I guess it does reflect children’s closeness to grandparents and getting in mischief together.
Anyhow, I thought you would enjoy these as they reflect well what LEGO and childhood creativity is all about. And I guess the message is that being creative and thinking outside the box is really fun… and forgiven… as long as you are a child or an old person… 🙄
According to a bit of research here is the info on the agency/persons behind these LEGO ads in case you would like to know more. Advertising Agency: Grey, Paris, France, Executive Creative Directors: Thierry Astier, Stéphane Eynard, Art Directors: Laëtitia Chrétien, Quentin Deronzier, Copywriters: Jean-François Le Marec, Dimitri Hekimian, Advertising Managers: Emilie Carle, Stéphane Knapp, Eric Maugein, Account Director: Laurence Cormier, Account Executive: Charlotte Huet.
So what do you think? How do you like these LEGO advertisements? Which one is your favorite? Have you gotten in trouble with using LEGO… let’s just say… a bit too creatively? Are there any other LEGO ads you really like? Feel free to share in the comment section below! 😉
First comment! Funny, but the paragraphs are out of order. I would love to do some of those.
Yeah, I thought they were great. The paragraphs and pictures are actually in order, but since I used the pictures to break up the text, some appears to be delayed. 😉
I meant the paragraph about the keyboard was 2 pics away from the pic
Yeah, I know. It’s just how I broke up the text with the pictures. 😉
I built that helicopter quite recently…
It is a sweet little chopper actually. 😀
The difference between adults and kids, is that kids have no problem thinking outside of the box. ( or out the window, in the flower pot etc.) It also reminds me of the LEGO MOVIE ( In the end the two different mind set of the adult and kid).
Yes, The LEGO Movie was all about this. I guess the conclusion is to just be yourself and enjoy LEGO in the way you want it and at the same time be open and respect the way others relate to the hobby – we can all learn from each other. Sometimes it is helpful for kids to get a bit more structuring in their lives, and it is helpful for adults to relax and add some childlike silliness to the mix once in a while. Neither the complete lawlessness of Cloud Cuckoo Land, or the micromanaging of Lord Business is healthy.
those kids look evil. 😈 very funny though! 🙂
Yeah, I thought so too… some of those little monsters I wouldn’t want to have around. 😈
my favorite one is the one wen the lego crooks are flyin out the window lol
(think he’s using his mothers brawls 😀 ) ( but im not sure)
It’s bras, yeah, but they could be his sisters…
Oh, that’s even worse! He will be in so much trouble!
awkward this is.
I was kind of surprised that that one was made…the articles of clothing seemed a little too private, but it is still funny :D. He would probably build a lego poky bra for his sister if they were hers :).
Yoda talk, only I can use
Fell off my chair laughing at the first picture I did.
Yeah, that’s my favorite one too! 😛
Funny! The first one doesn’t seem like something LEGO would do but they’re still all creative
They have been done for LEGO by a French advertising agency for an ad campaign in France. I love the French! 😛
I’ve thinking it was American. But it’s from my country !!!!!! Vive la France !
Some of those were disturbing.
Most are fun… but I think the overall message is a terrible idea.
The first one in particular, having a kid playing at a window launching stuff from the second floor is just plain irresponsible to me. It reminds me of an ad that was being played in the middle of some kids cartoons on American TV a few months back. It was an ad for an insurance company trying to sell some kind of all risk coverage, they were showing a kid flushing his very expensive looking father’s watch down the toilet. I mean, the kids have enough imagination as it is, they don’t need to be shown stupid or potentially dangerous ideas.
Another thing I don’t like is that they have altered the scale of the MF on the one with the freezer and the wedding cake.
Yatkuu, yeah, most kids I know don’t need any encouragement in the crazy and dangerous ideas department. I haven’t noticed the alteration of the minifig scale until you mentioned. Good eyes! 🙂
It’s irresponsible, I agree, but I don’t think it is supporting that as much as trying to make a funny bit of advertising that has to do with Lego. The imaginative part is what’s mainly funny, not the irresponsibility. Sure, they could have done other things, but when kids are bad at least it’s relatable :P.
It would be bad if kids were influenced, but as a funny advertisement for people like parents, teens, or even mature kids like some of the commenters here, it works out well.
One thing to note is that these ads are not designed for or targeting kids as the audience. It is designed for parents to remind them that LEGO is creative and fun and they should get some for their kids. 😉
Indeed, kids are not be the target of these ads but nobody can guarantee they won’t be seeing it. What children see children do. I just think there are different ways of delivering the creativity message.
True. But it’s not as bad as it could be.
I think I can remember a French ad a while back, where a couple of kids replaced their grandma’s dentures with one incorporating LEGO studs. I think the ad ends with the grandma falling on the children’s toys; a Ninjago Rattlecopter, a City Fire Truck and Friends’ Olivia’s House. (All 2012 releases.) Thing is, you could then choose in the video which LEGO set do you want the grandma to fall on specifically, thus making it stick to said LEGO dentures…Actually, I find the video very weird, and somewhat…disturbing. But that’s just me, maybe it’s seen as comedic in French culture. I’ll go post the link when I find the video again.
I was actually looking for that video! But every version I found was either taken down or was listed as private. If you find it let me know. 😉
I smell a rat. If these ads were “created by a French advertising agency for LEGO’s promotional campaign in France”, then why is the slogan in English?
Gustav, the French version of the ads have the text in French. All links to the advertising agency are included in the post where you can see details of the campaign. I assume the advertising agency also created a version of the ads with the English slogan, as I have seen both. 😉
I think advertisement companies often release an English language version of the same campaign nowadays, to advertise ‘themselves’, as much as the product.
The competition is tough, but if you’re a successful ad company, you could attract clients on a global scale.
Good point.