Tom Feiler has directed three web spots for the Toronto-based children's store Kol Kid and Tribal Worldwide Toronto. The spots cleverly communicate how tech toys can't always fulfill the joy of traditional toys. The ads are the centerpiece of a new, multi-faceted campaign for the store celebrating the value of simple play.
Feiler, a father of two children, says that he strongly identifies with the store's philosophy towards play. With electronic toys, whether it's a console game or something else, kids are asked to manipulate stories that were created by someone else. The problems have been set, he explains. Traditional toys are inherently tactile and they require kids to use their imaginations.
Like most great advertising, the three spots are based on a simple premise and play like found moments. Their execution, however, was the result of patient, and sometimes painstaking, direction. Feiler selected his three actors through a lengthy casting process and employed a mix of sympathetic coaching and child psychology to steer them to the performances he was after.
As much as the spots feel observational, says Sanya Grujicic, Senior Copywriter of Tribal Worldwide Toronto. They're actually very directed by Tom. Yet the kids come across like real kids, not actors, that's what makes them feel relatable.
For the spot with the kid on the staircase, Feiler gave the young actor specific actions to perform as he was playing with the device, but allowed him to improvise the critical moment where he decides to drop it. I knew that what he came up with would be better than anything I could give him, the director explains. As with any actor, it's all about knowing what he needed.
The spots' seeming lack of artifice is typical of Feiler's approach to comedy, according to Accomplice Media Executive Producer Mel Gragido. Its been fun bringing him to the US market, as Tom has a very light touch and yet the performances he elicits are invariably spot on, Gragido says. These particular ads are funny because they capture moments that people recognize as real.
Feiler, who is also an award-winning still photographer, complemented the video ads by shooting a large volume of product imagery for the Kol Kid website. I've done that for a number of campaigns, he says. It gives the client a cohesive look and package across all media.
The campaign also includes a Play Engine, developed by Tribal, an interactive web application that parents can use to come up with ideas for simple play activities such as finding shapes in the clouds, Simon Says and how to make a homemade printing press.
For Feiler and the entire creative team the campaign was a labor of love. It's something that we all felt very passionate about, Feiler observes. We felt like it was insight on kids and technology that needed to be shared.
About Accomplice
Accomplice Media is a unique blend of award winning directors, visual media artists and creative production teams creating and telling stories for advertising agencies and brands through various media platforms. The diverse roster includes directors John Bonito, Don Burgess, Sherpas Cinema, Duane Crichton, Tom Feiler, Josh Forbes, Jeff Gorman, Sten Helvig, Vincent Laforet, Andy Lambert, Anniken Lien, David Jellison, Rick Knief, Hans Petter Moland, Johan Skog and Guy Sagy.
For more information, visit http://www.accomplice-media.com/
Credits
Agency: Tribal Worldwide, Toronto. LP Tremblay, Creative Director; Denise Rossetto, Creative Director; Andrew Bernardi, Art Director; Sanya Grujicic, Copywriter; Tiffany Chung, Copywriter; Andrew Schulze, Agency Producer.
Production: Code Film. Tom Feiler, Director; Andrew McCartney, Managing Director; Alan Lukatela, Director of Photography; Magda Czyz Line Producer.
Edit: School Editing. Kyle McNair, Editor.
Post: Fort York. Paul Binney, Online Editor.
Notch. Jason Zukowski, Colorist.
Audio: Pirate. Stephanie Pigott, Audio House Director; Jared Kuemper, Audio House Engineer.
###
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Tom Feiler has directed three web spots for the Toronto-based children's store Kol Kid and Tribal Worldwide Toronto. The spots cleverly communicate how tech toys can't always fulfill the joy of traditional toys. The ads are the centerpiece of a new, multi-faceted campaign for the store celebrating the value of simple play. 
