If there is a story of recent successes and failures in the world of business, of a great brand that seemed to be on everyone’s mind but suddenly almost disappeared, it is the story of Toys ‘R’ Us.
The firm filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and has since expanded its business around the world. Prenatal has maintained its stores in Spain and Portugal… But continues to exist with a small group of stores in the US and has already decided to make some noise by launching its first ad made with Sora, OpenAI’s new video-generating artificial intelligence.
The firm posted a 28-second preview on YouTube and invites you to see the full result on its website, which is not much longer at 1:06 minutes.
The result… judge for yourself:
Toys ‘R’ Us’ Is Trying to Stand Out Again
The iconic Toys ‘R’ Us brand, which many thought was dead after its bankruptcy, is trying to slowly return to what it was with the help of WHP Global, the firm that now manages the brand.
Sora, an OpenAI tool, surprised the world in February with its ability to create photorealistic videos using artificial intelligence.
While the exact origin of his training data remains a mystery, there is speculation that YouTube could be a key source. Using this technology, WHP Global has created what they call the first “brand film” generated by artificial intelligence, although it is not completely autonomous.
According to Nick Kleverov, director of the creative agency Native Foreign, which created the ad, 80-85% of the content was created by Sora, and a team of people applied corrective visual effects.
However, the video also caused some ridicule on social networks due to the stiffness of many of the gestures and the presence of artificial intelligence, which cannot yet be avoided.
The future of advertising?
The commercial, which debuted at the prestigious Cannes Lions festival, marked a milestone in the advertising industry. However, its initial reach will be limited to the Toys ‘R’ Us website. The combination of human creativity and advanced technology raises interesting questions about the future of advertising. Are we facing a new era where AI will become an indispensable assistant in content creation?
For Toys ‘R’ Us, this strategy is more than just a publicity stunt. WHP Global has ambitious plans for the brand, including opening up to 24 stores in 2025, some in unusual locations such as airports and cruise ships. “Combining physical experiences with technological advances could be the key to attracting both old fans and new generations,” they argue.