UNICEF and LEGO have been partners in play since 2015. During that time, UNICEF’s partnership with both the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation has driven monumental social change through country programs, global advocacy, research and the Playful Parenting and Learning Through Play initiatives. Yet, because they’re separate partnerships with some overlap, it’s complex to communicate the breadth and depth of the work, including which accomplishments or programs are shared and which are unique to an organization. In 2022, UNICEF approached Red Havas with the assignment to help tell the story of the partnerships’ work, achievements and potential, and to support the growth of the future partnership.

Red Havas worked closely with the UNICEF partnership team to collect (and distill) the information needed to develop our storytelling assets. Importantly, we also needed to establish the right tone of voice; the work UNICEF and LEGO does together often centers on efforts to protect children — whether that’s ensuring vaccine equity, responsible innovation in technology or humanitarian efforts for children and families affected by conflict or crisis. This meant striking a tender balance between playful and serious — both with the words and visuals we chose.