You’re the Goods swings into action for captivating PAPAYA advert
A new campaign for Play On, a PAPAYA gaming platform, captures the immersive childhood thrill of using a simple swing set: made all the more riveting when you know the stunts were performed for real.
You’re the Goods developed the campaign platform ‘Play On’ for founding client PAPAYA. The first execution, ‘Swing’, is a 90-second brand film capturing a fleeting moment of childhood freedom—a pause to escape and simply play.
Set amidst the bustle of New York City, the film was directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, known for his cinematic storytelling. It features a haunting soundtrack by James Blake, who manages to successfully cover the classic ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ with the care it deserves.
The ad launched in the UK on Boxing Day during the Manchester City vs. Everton match, introducing PAPAYA to a broad audience before expanding into the US and other markets.
Our take
Contrary to assumptions, this film wasn’t created with AI. Instead, it relied on the precision and authenticity of real-world production.
Stunt coordinators with experience on Dune and Mission Impossible enabled the cast to perform on swings suspended from a 165-foot crane, with bespoke camera rigs capturing the action. The result is a piece that resonates emotionally rather than being purely processed logically—a deliberate choice to prioritise truth and craft.
PAPAYA’s vision for meaningful storytelling has resulted in a campaign that underscores the commitment to enduring narratives and meticulous craftsmanship.
We like to resist positioning adverts as ‘setting the standard for 2025’, but it’s hard to argue that this campaign hasn’t gotten 2025 off to an enigmatic start.
The attention to detail in the craft seems particularly impactful given the use of AI in modern adverts. The storytelling is on point, positioning momentary glimpses of childlike wonder as missing in our day to day lives: leaving viewers to make the link to the product at the end by simply displaying the logo without context.
The intention here was purely to create an emotional connection, and the cinematography and music make the point seamlessly, with slow-motion reaction shots of how play can take people out of their workday blues, however momentarily.
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