Zambezi Taps Anonymous Content to 'Bring Back Family Time' for Nex Playground

Nex, the company behind Nex Playground, the active play system that gets families moving together, today launched "Bring Back Family Time," its first integrated national brand campaign created in partnership with independent integrated agency Zambezi. Debuting across television, streaming, digital, social, and out-of-home media, the campaign introduces Nex on a national stage while encouraging families to rethink the role technology can play in everyday life – reminding us that technology can bring families together and help us be more active and connected. 

As personal devices increasingly compete for our attention, shared experiences have become harder to find. With "Bring Back Family Time," Nex takes a stand for a different kind of screen experience: one that brings families back into the living room, gets them moving, and turns technology into something that creates connection rather than distraction. 

At the center of the campaign is a cinematic hero film told entirely from the perspective of the family television. As a silent witness to decades of family life, the TV watches the living room evolve from a place filled with imagination, movement, and togetherness into one where each family member gradually retreats into their own personal screen. The story concludes with the arrival of Nex Playground, transforming the living room back into a shared gathering place where families can connect. 

Bringing the personified television to life as the silent witness, heartbeat and centerpiece of the family living room is acclaimed actor Richard Kind, whose unmistakable voice lends warmth, humor, and heart to the campaign. Known for his colorful and emotive performances – including his role as Bing Bong in Pixar’s Inside Out – Kind gives the film’s narrator a sense of nostalgia and quirky charm as it reflects on decades of family life. 

“This campaign is much bigger than just introducing people to Nex Playground," said David Lee, CEO and co-founder of Nex. "In a world where screens are increasingly designed to capture our individual attention, we're proving that screens can do something different. We believe the best technology strengthens human connection, encourages movement, and creates moments families can share together. That's exactly what we're building, and what 'Bring Back Family Time' is inviting people to rethink." 

"Bring Back Family Time" launches September 1 across a national paid media campaign spanning streaming, television, digital, social, and out-of-home advertising. With media strategy led by Scale by Zambezi, the campaign is an integrated cross-platform push, which will reach parents and families on a mass scale to inspire them to stop and think. The campaign follows a period of significant momentum for Nex Playground, including a historic 2025 holiday season in which it outsold Xbox, surpassing one million units sold, launching in the United Kingdom, and announcing plans to expand into Germany later this year, with France, Japan and South Korea to follow in 2027. 

"The living room used to be the ultimate stage for imagination and shared moments. From epic pillow battles and make-believe sword fights to laughter-filled family gatherings, every day was alive with energy and connection," said Gavin Lester, Chief Creative Officer at Zambezi. “Our goal is to show what happens when that space turns into a silent, blue-light slumber of individual scrolling, and how active play with Nex brings that life back. It’s an idea that hits close to home for any parent who’s watched their own living room grow quiet, and invites Nex as the solution.” 

The campaign film can be viewed on Nex Playground’s YouTube channel. To learn more, visit nexplayground.com or follow the company on Instagram and Facebook.