A Can of Imagination

The World of Play-Doh is whatever a child imagines. That makes it one of the most valuable worlds. Especially to mums and dads, who after all, are the part of the target market for DDB Paris’ hand-made Play-Doh print and poster campaign for Hasbro.

In a world of apps and digital entertainment, DDB Paris wanted to show that Play-Doh is still a wonderful way for kids to express themselves and develop their imagination. The ads aim to remind parents of the joy of playing with the modeling clay to make fantastic worlds and creatures, as most grown-ups did when they were children.

It appeals both to children, who love the shapes, colors, names, and stories of the curious animals, and to parents with its jokes and humorous references. The Emerging Species campaign underlines the amazing power of creation that modeling clay offers. And most importantly, promotes the idea that children can do a lot with a bit of imagination. They can even change the fate of our planet, where species do not emerge, but sadly become extinct.

It was important, too, to remind parents that sometimes the most ‘low tech’ toys are the best for their children. The style was intentionally childish and colorful, like an animated feature film made by Pixar or Dreamworks, both as a clear reference to the children’s universe and to appeal to children as well as adults. The headlines were written to have several layers of meaning for kids and parents. The implied message to parents is “let your children play,” and the campaign stands on the new communication platform that the brand launched worldwide for its 60th anniversary last year – imagination.

Source: http://www.thestable.com.au/ddb-paris-captures-the-thrill-of-play-doh-in-print/