Toys”R”Us has unwrapped its 2013 holiday marketing plans, including a new radio and TV campaign that will allow parents and gift-givers to experience the magic of Toys”R”Us through children’s eyes. The TV spot, which began airing 10/20, takes viewers on an amusing journey, as a group of children who think they’re going on a field trip to “Meet the Trees” wind up at the toy store chain with free rein of the store.
The integrated campaign includes TV, digital, radio and print. Created via The Escape Pod Agency Chicago, the spots will air on all major networks and cable stations throughout the holiday season, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CW, A&E, Lifetime, HGTV, TLC, TBS, TNT, Animal Planet, E!, Food Network, USA, OWN, The Hub and Oxygen, among others. Top national morning and syndicated talk shows, including Good Morning America, The View, The Talk, Rachael Ray, Queen Latifah and Dr. Oz, will also air the commercials throughout the season.
A Toys”R”Us spokesperson gave RBR-TVBR details on the radio buy:
Toys“R”Us radio ads will be heard across various national networks and their respective shows, including (but not limited to):
– Premiere/Clear Channel (On Air with Ryan Seacrest, Direct from Hollywood, Steve Harvey, Delilah, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, SuperMoms, America Network, Today’s Women, Total Traffic, etc.)
– WestwoodOne (John Tesh, Billy Bush, Bob & Sheri, Metro Music, etc.)
– Cumulus (Kidd Kraddick, Impact Network, FM Connection, FlexNet, etc.)
– CMN (Prestige, Radio Social, Weekend Day, CMN Weekend, Weekday Prime, etc.)
CBS Custom Lineup
– Online Mobile Radio apps (Pandora, iHeart Radio, etc.)
– Sun Broadcast Group (Country 200, Country USA, etc.)
– Radio Disney
To film the series of unique, moment-in-time TV commercials for Toys”R”Us, the company coordinated a carefully executed prank that would ultimately bring joy to a group of very special children. As nearly 100 kids from local New York charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters and The Boys & Girls Club, boarded a school bus for a field trip captained by Park Ranger Brad from “Meet the Trees Foundation,” their lack of enthusiasm was apparently evident. After a 20-minute bus ride, during which the only sounds heard from the children were silent yawns and a few grumbles, Brad announced that they were approaching their destination. At that moment, Brad tore off his Park Ranger garb to reveal a Toys”R”Us uniform – this quickly got the kids’ attention – and told them that they were actually going to Toys”R”Us. From there, Brad, along with employees and Geoffrey the Giraffe, guided the children into the store, where they were given free rein. Discreetly placed cameras and GoPros were used to film the kids as they checked out all of the toys. The spot was made from that footage.
