The toys began to talk
Something dramatic was needed to get parents’ attention. Toys“R”Us earned nearly half its annual sales in the fourth quarter, and the beloved holiday catalog kept the brand top of mind for 2-3 months. But a big online retailer began stealing market share with last-minute price drops, and the toys got worried. Parents needed to know that the world’s greatest toy store was a better choice.
The toys decided to do something they’d never done before: They agreed to talk.
First, we caught them exchanging looks on set while shooting the Toys“R”Us Book of Awesome. There were strict (IP) rules about who could talk with whom, so they were a little shy at first.
And then it happened
Barbie and Ken agreed to appear on national tv in this :30 spot to show that Toys“R”Us was really the only choice for shopping the world’s best toys.
The minifigs followed
With Barbie and Ken leading the way, other toys like the LEGO minfigs stepped up. We were tracking competitive offers daily, and this concept gave us the flexibility to update national tv creative within 3 days. No lip syncing problem.
And the mic drop
Our private label toys were fearless when it came to the hardest selling, as in this highly effective :30 spot. Nobody thought it was possible to get all that legal language in, but the robot came through.
The impact
For the 5-week holiday period, this creative approach delivered a 2.9% increase in store sales and positive gross margin within the must-win categories.
