Toys“R”Us holiday plans include QR codes

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us holiday plans mix technology, QR codes and retro ads that speak to the company’s heritage.

As part of its 2011 holiday advertising campaign, the chain will air a series of themed television commercials designed to showcase the company's toy expertise and its strengths as a specialty retailer. The commercials include two ads from its archives which celebrate the heritage of the brand. Another group of ads feature products exclusive to Toys“R”Us.

"We believe our holiday marketing campaign speaks strongly to our toy authority position today and with the generations of kids who grew up with the Toys"R"Us brand," said Greg Ahearn, chief marketing officer, Toys"R"Us, U.S.

The first retro ad features children singing the iconic "I'm a Toys"R"Us Kid" jingle as they play with perennial toy favorites like trains, bikes, dolls and more. The spot ends with the updated tagline, "Still the World's Greatest Toy Store.” In the other, Toys“R”Us mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe takes his family – and viewers – on a trip through an animated world of bright holiday lights.

The ads will begin airing on Oct. 30 on major networks and various cable stations.
In its other big holiday salvo, the Toys“R”Us annual holiday catalog will begin arriving in homes across the nation this weekend. The company has expanded the catalog into the digital realm this year with e-mailed bonus pages of holiday-themed deals and discounts that could not fit in the catalog.

Customers equipped with smartphones that can read quick response (QR) codes will find additional multimedia content about select products within the book. As a bonus, starting on Oct. 28, members of the company’s official Facebook fan page at Facebook.com/Toysrus can browse the entire catalog, clicking “like” on items to share their favorite toys with Facebook friends and family.

Customers can also experience a digital version of ultimate toy shopping guide online at Toysrus.com/HolidayBook beginning Oct. 30.

Originally posted on http://www.retailingtoday.com by Marianne Wilson

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