Toys ‘R’ Us has made waves in the advertising world by unveiling a revolutionary video ad featuring OpenAI’s highly anticipated text-to-video tool, Sora. The one-minute spot, which premiered at the Cannes Lions conference in France, has garnered mixed reviews online. However, it marks a significant milestone in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in advertising.
Toys ‘R’ Us, once a ubiquitous toy store brand that went bankrupt in 2017 but was revived in Macy’s store locations in 2022, has always been known for its innovative approach to connecting with consumers. This latest endeavor is no exception. The company’s Global Chief Marketing Officer and President of Toys ‘R’ Us Studios, Kim Miller Olko, explained the motivation behind using Sora in the ad: “Charles Lazarus was a visionary ahead of his time, and we wanted to honor his legacy with a spot using the most cutting-edge technology available.”
Sora, the AI tool developed by OpenAI, allows users to create one-minute-long videos featuring realistic scenes and multiple characters, all generated from text instruction. In the case of the Toys ‘R’ Us ad, the goal was to capture the nostalgic feeling associated with the brand and its beloved mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe. The ad takes viewers on a journey into the past, telling the origin story of Charles Lazarus and the creation of Toys ‘R’ Us.
The use of Sora in commercial work has generated mixed reactions online. Some marvel at the capabilities of generative AI, while others find it jarring or unimpressive. Writer Mike Drucker, for example, tweeted, “Love this commercial is like, ‘Toys R Us started with the dream of a little boy who wanted to share his imagination with the world. And to show how, we fired our artists and dried Lake Superior using a server farm to generate what that would look like in Stephen King’s nightmares.'”
The ad’s visual elements were created through a combination of text commands and iterations. Nik Kleverov, chief creative officer of Native Foreign, Toys ‘R’ Us’ creative partner, described the process as both challenging and rewarding. He explained, “The blocking, the way the character looks, what they’re wearing, the emotion, the background — it has to be a perfect dance. Sometimes you would create something that was almost right and other times not so right.”
Sora was first revealed by OpenAI in February as a groundbreaking technology capable of creating highly realistic videos. While an official release date has not been announced, rumors suggest that it may be available to the public by the end of summer.
Toys ‘R’ Us' use of Sora in their ad represents a significant step forward for the integration of AI in advertising. By harnessing the power of text-to-video technology, brands can now bring their creative visions to life in ways that were previously unimaginable. As AI continues to evolve and improve, we can expect even more impressive applications in the world of advertising and beyond.
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