TOKYO, JAPAN – UNICEF launched a powerful new global campaign for International Day of Play 2025, spotlighting an urgent but under-reported crisis: the global play deficit.
At the heart of the campaign is a breathtakingly simple but emotionally supercharged idea: to a child, even the smallest moment of play with a parent can feel like the biggest game in the world. The hero film pairs warm, wonderfully ordinary user generated content of real families playing together, with the soaring sound of the world’s most iconic sports commentaries.
The juxtaposition is surprising, moving, and unforgettable. Transforming these fleeting family moments into epic, celebratory highlights of childhood.
The film launched globally across UNICEF digital and social channels on International Day of Play, supported by a broader campaign toolkit encouraging parents to “Choose Play Every Day.”
CREDITS:
Client: UNICEF
Agency: Southpaw
Executive Creative Director: Glenn Smith
Head of Strategy: Niki Jones
Business Director: Laura Wood
Copywriter: Anna Brailey
Senior Producer: Sam Jones
Production: Southpaw
Editors: Alex Webster, Liam Hayes, Adam Wratten
Head of Content: Cait Jones
Social Media Exec: Beth Thorpe
Communications Specialist, UNICEF: Victor Acquaah
