BBC Creative’s ‘The Square Eyed Boy’ Explores Children’s Relationship with Screens

BBC Creative has launched a campaign for BBC Children’s that looks at children’s relationship with screens.

The campaign, directed by Blinkink's Sam Gainsborough is launched with a new TV spot 'The Square Eyed Boy'. This 60-second stop-motion animation aims to reassure parents that screens, when used responsibly, can be a tremendously powerful tool for their children.

Inspired by the age-old saying, “You'll get square eyes”, 'The Square Eyed Boy' spot introduces a young boy whose eyes have been transformed into squares due to his use of screens. The film tackles the judgments surrounding screen usage, depicting the boy and his family as objects of scrutiny and dismissal by onlookers. The spot weaves together a thought-provoking narrative with expertly crafted puppetry and stop-motion animation, to capture the imagination of viewers of all ages.

As the story unfolds, audiences are taken on a journey that challenges preconceptions, highlighting ways that screens, when supported by age-appropriate and thoughtfully curated content, can actually benefit children in many ways such as learning, discovering, expressing ideas, connecting with others, and developing essential communication skills. By challenging the saying, the film offers a new perspective; maybe screens don’t give you square eyes, but can actually make you well rounded.

The film tells parents that there’s beneficial content they can trust on the BBC. The concluding message of: “Screens, it’s what’s on them that counts” is a reminder of the power of BBC content in helping to develop curious, kind and creative young minds.

The film is a part of a larger campaign that spans across Out of Home advertising and social, which aims to add nuance to the screen debate and to help guide parents. The campaign will also be supported through editorial content across the BBC.