Last February OpenAI surprised the world by presenting the capabilities of sora to create videos from text instructions thanks to generative artificial intelligence. Just a few months later Toys R Us has launched the first brand communication that makes use of the tool, in a movement that it considers advanced and avant-garde.
The piece has been created by Toys “R” Us Studiothe entertainment production division of the global toy brand, in collaboration with creative agency Native Foreign, whose creative director, as the company explains in a statement, has access to Sora, since the platform is not yet publicly accessible.
The video counts the story of charles lazarusFounder of Toys “R” Us, and his ambition to transform toy stores, as well as the company’s popular mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe, as a source of inspiration for the entrepreneur’s mission. The complete piece is available exclusively on the brand’s website, although Toys “R” Us presented it at an event within the framework of Cannes Lions 2024; and has shared teasers on social networks and digital channels. The company has not given details about whether the piece will have media planning.
“Charles Lazarus was a visionary ahead of his time and we wanted to honor his legacy with an ad using the most advanced technology available. Our brand embraces the innovation and emotional appeal of Toys “R” Us to connect with consumers in unexpected ways“said Kim Miller Olko, Global Marketing Director of Toys “R” Us and President of Toys “R” Us Studios. “Our goal is to capture that nostalgic feeling and uniquely bring it to Toys”R”Us kids of all ages.“.
For its part, the agency considers that Toys “R” Us is the perfect brand to adopt a artificial intelligence advancement strategy. “The creative industry is experiencing a renaissance, much like Toys”R”Ussaid Nik Kleverov, Creative Director of Native Foreign. “Through Sora, we were able to tell this incredible story with remarkable speed and efficiency”.
In this regard, the brand details that Sora has made it possible to make the concept a reality in just a few weeks, “condensing hundreds of iterative shots into a couple dozen”. Although the piece has been created practically entirely by the tool, some work has been done corrective visual effects and has a original theme song composed by Aaron Mash, of the rock band Copeland.
Between the avant-garde and the mistake
The video, however, has been received with mixed opinions. Some positively value the company’s innovative commitment and the pioneering use of Sora in brand commercial communication, and point out that it is a commendable initiative since they consider that the adoption of this type of tools in creativity and communication is something that cannot be remedied.
On the other hand, many others criticize that it is precisely the toy company, whose focus is imagination, that uses a tool whose model is fed by the creativity already existing on the internet. They also censure that the toy company seeks to reflect children’s feelings towards play and leisure without using, precisely, the experiences of real boys and girls. In this regard, many consider that the video lacks feeling and emotionality, which is precisely what a brand like Toys “R” Us should convey.
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The Toys “R” Us initiative and its risky commitment to artificial intelligence have put the brand at the center of the conversation and it may represent a repositioning after a turbulent period. It is worth remembering that in 2017 the company declared bankruptcy in the United States with a debt of 5 billion dollars and closing a large part of its stores. Furthermore, in 2022 in the Iberian Peninsula it requested voluntary bankruptcy proceedings to guarantee the future of the company.
