John Goodman Urges You to Return to Your Childhood for Fisher-Price

In Fisher-Price’s new ad, “Let’s Be Kids,” the invitation to the magical orange-hued land of toys isn’t limited to kids; parents are welcome as well.

Rather than focusing solely on children, this spot attempts to appeal to adults by reminding them what it was like when they used to play with the same toys.

As some of the most iconic toys move across the screen, John Goodman appears, dressed identically to the plastic farmer figurine from Fisher-Price’s Little People collection. His familiar voice traces you all the way back to when you were a happy child.

Goodman then snaps you back into reality as he narrates the perpetual hangover that is adulthood, “Opinions are loud, and clocks are the boss and you have to wear shoes, all the time.”

Which is why he invites you back into your childhood, but this time with your own children. If by any chance you forgot what it was like to be a kid, don’t worry, “because everything is exactly how you left it.”

This tonal shift from targeting children to adults in order to compete with today’s “digital toys” is Fisher-Price’s first spot working with Wieden+Kennedy Portland, Adweek’s 2018 U.S. Agency of the Year.

CREDITS:
Client: Fisher-Price
Project Name: Welcome Back
Synopsis of work: Fisher-Price Brand 60/30
Format + Title: 1080p / HD TV
Client Contact: Jody Gavin
Launch Date: 9/22/19
W+K Portland ecds: Eric Baldwin Jason Bagley
Creative Directors: Heather Ryder Devin Gillespie
Art Director: Caitlin Alexander
Copywriter: Derek Syznal
Executive Producer: Hayley Goggin
Agency Producer: Sarah Sweeney
Creative Ops: Amanda Claire
Design Ops: Patrick Calahan
Strategic Planning: Nathan Goldberg
Media/Comms Planning: Stephanie Ehui Melissa Meier
Group Brand Director: Vanessa Miller
Brand Director: Corey Woodson
Brand Executive: Simone Jackson Beth Lussenhop
Business Affairs: Amber Lavender Brian Cook
Broadcast Traffic: Jesus Garcia

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Rattling Stick
Director: Ringan Ledwidge
Executive Producer: Joe Biggins Jeff Shupe
Head of Production: Richard McIntosh
Line Producer: Joey Zadwarny
Controller: Christine Berentsen
Associate Producer: Sean Curtis
Sales: James Barry (Uncle Lefty West)
Director of Photography: Adam Arkapaw
Production Design/Art Direction: Jeremy Hindle
Costume Designer: Colleen Atwood
1st Assistant Director: Justin Charbonnet
Production Supervisor: Cory Desrosiers
Assistant Production Supervisor: Craig Johnson

PHOTOGRAPHY
Photographer: Jesse Rieser

EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: Work
Editorial Editor: Stewart Reeves
Assistant Editor: Leah Turner
Producer: Brian Scharwath
Executive Producer: Marlo Baird

VFX
VFX Company: Blacksmith
VFX/CG Supervisor: Tom Bussell
2D Lead Artist: Robert Bruce
Executive Producer: Charlotte Arnold
VFX Producer: Bindy St. Leger
VFX Assistant Producer: Tina Chen
CG Generalists: Olivier Varteressian, Tuna Unalan, Mike Marsek, Jared Eng Vitaliy Burov
CG Animators: Ross Scroble, Sam Crees Jesus Parra
CG Model/Rigger: Jared Eng
FX Artists: Rick Walia Hassan Taimur
Compositors: Nick Tanner Matte
Painter: Rob Petrie Amir Zand
Model/Texture: Nopia, Luma Animations
COLOR
Company: Blacksmith
Colorist: Mikey Pehanich
Company: Company 3
Colorist: Sofie Burop

LICENSED MUSIC
Artist: Hook Line
Track Name: You Can Always Come Back

SOUND DESIGN
Company Name: Barking Owl
Sound Designer: Morgan Johnson
MIX
Mix Company: Wave Studios
Audio Mixer: Aaron Reynolds
Executive Producer: Vicky Ferraro