LEGO reimagines Father's Day with 'Build It With Him' campaign
This Father's Day, the LEGO Group is inspiring families across the UAE to rethink gifting traditions with its regionally tailored 'Build It With Him' campaign – a creative call to action that invites parents and children to connect through the joy of LEGO® play.
Ula Bieganska, Head of Marketing, LEGO Group MEA says, 'The creative vision was inspired by the idea that Father's Day isn't really about celebration it's about connection. Our campaign for the LEGO Group set out to reframe the occasion not as a moment for grand gestures, but as a chance to be present and playful.
The campaign was a collaboration between Publicis Middle East and MSL Middle East, with MSL handling the strategy and insights and earned amplification and PME leading on creative.
Insight-led storytelling
To shape the campaign, the team conducted extensive local research to better understand Father's Day in the UAE
The strategy was rooted in a deep understanding of Father's Day in the UAE, an occasion that is officially acknowledged but often culturally overlooked.
Bieganska says, 'We carried out primary research to understand mindsets and habits around Father's Day, among the country's diverse expat population, alongside the influence of Khaleeji family dynamics, and the last-minute nature of gifting behaviour in this market. Rather than importing a global idea, we built a regional-first narrative that played into human truths, social behaviours, and localised gifting patterns.'
She adds, 'A combination of local research and cultural insight revealed a disconnect between how Father's Day is recognised and how it is actually experienced in the UAE. A YouGov study showed that 75 per cent of UAE dads had received the same gift more than once, with cliché and predictable gifts like mugs, wallets and shirts topping the list,'
'Yet, when asked about their most meaningful gifts, a quarter of dads said it was something handmade by their child. Our focus groups echoed this sentiment, as dads spoke not about being celebrated, but about wanting to spend more time with their kids. This emotional truth became the anchor for the campaign,' reveals Bieganska.
Transforming tradition through play
The campaign's primary goal was to build brand affinity by positioning LEGO bricks as a meaningful Father's Day gifting solution. Rather than focusing on conversion, it was designed to resonate emotionally with families and boost top-of-mind awareness during a typically under-leveraged seasonal moment in the region.
'While this wasn't a conversion-led campaign, it was designed to drive customer loyalty through emotional resonance and cultural relevance,' says Bieganska.
'Build It With Him'
The campaign ran across owned the LEGO Group social channels, earned media, and in-store with an activation at the LEGO Store at Mall of The Emirates. Creative assets included static visuals, with playful LEGO brick-built reinterpretations of traditional Father's Day gifts, all created for digital-first consumption. Aside from this, influencer marketing also took place.
Influencers known for parenting and lifestyle content were chosen for their alignment with LEGO's values of imagination and quality. Their content focused on sharing the experience of building LEGO gifts with their children and reflecting on Father's Day meaningfully, enhancing engagement and authenticity.
The 'Build It With Him' campaign specifically spoke to two core audience segments in the UAE.
Expat mums (aged 28–45) – the key gift buyers in the household, often time-poor but looking for thoughtful and meaningful gifting options that reflect shared family values. Older expat kids (aged 16–25) – trend-aware gift-givers who want to move beyond the generic and find gifts that feel personal, creative and social-media-worthy.
A celebration of connection beyond the occasion
More than a seasonal campaign, 'Build It With Him' champions the enduring value of creativity and cross-generational bonding – turning a traditionally quiet holiday into a playful opportunity for family connection.
'The key brand message is simple but powerful: the best gifts aren't bought, they're built. Through this lens, LEGO bricks becomes more than a product, it becomes a tool for cross-generational connection and shared memory-making,' Bieganska concludes.
By tapping into regional behaviours and emotional truths, the LEGO Group campaign transforms a token holiday into a creative opportunity for connection. 'Build It With Him' not only refreshes the Father's Day conversation in the UAE, but also reinforces the LEGO Group's role as a brand that champions shared experiences and the enduring value of play across generations.
The campaign launched ahead of Father's Day on June 21, coinciding with World Play Day on June 11, and continues across key channels in the UAE.
Credits:
Client:
The LEGO Group
Creative Agency:
Publicis Middle East
Tuki Ghiassi – Executive Creative Director
Pablo Tesio – Associate Creative Director
Juan Sebastian Portilla – Associate Creative Director
Oussama El Founi – Associate Creative Director
Abdulla Samir – Art Director
Rimma Krasavina – Senior Art
Louis Borniche – Motion Designer
PR Agency:
MSL Middle East
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