The Entertainer Reveals Biggest-Ever TV Christmas Campaign

The Entertainer, one of the world’s-fastest growing toy retailers, embarks on its biggest-ever TV advertising campaign for Christmas, the debut work is by newly retained creative agency adam&eveDDB.

Launching today online, the TV spot will first air on Saturday 16 November, at 8.30pm on ITV1 during a celebrity edition of The Chase. The 60-second film is inspired by the deep love kids develop for their toys – a passion which is shared by The Entertainer. The ad features the endearing character of Ray, a once much-loved stuffed toy who is now feeling a bit lost as his owner has since turned her attention towards a remote-control monster truck.

The ad is set to a cover of Roxette’s power ballad ‘It Must Have Been Love’  by established British indie musician, Baxter Dury. “We knew the music track would inform everything we did; the pace and performance so we had to get it just right,” said Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance, creatives at adam&eveDDB. “And we were after genuine heart break, but with a smile. We wanted a voice that encapsulated Ray’s character, something not cute or twee, and knew early on we wanted Baxter Dury.  A voice that was different perhaps to what you’d normally hear in a Christmas spot.”

The story tugs at heartstrings and ends on a humorous note, concluding with the endline: “For the next love of their life.”

The Entertainer’s Ray won’t be lonely for long, as the toy will be available for purchase in store – and available on Moonpig.com – for a limited time for £12. Ray will also be taking over the toy aisles of Tesco, and is even featured as an easter egg in Tesco’s Christmas ad.

Caroline Smith, marketing director of The Entertainer, said: “Our brief to adam&eveDDB was to get parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and anyone else with a child in their life who’s obsessed with that one thing, to choose The Entertainer whenever they need to buy a toy. Their response was a strategy that is powerfully emotional, but with a streak of humour which will really give The Entertainer cut through during the Christmas advertising extravaganza.”

Richard Brim, chief creative officer of adam&eveDDB, said: “Kids are fickle little things but luckily The Entertainer is there to cater for their ever-changing ways. To tell this story we see it through the eyes of Ray, a once-favourite toy now sidelined by the child’s next new love.”

The campaign runs until 24 December, across TV, BVOD, cinema, digital, and social platforms, reinforcing The Entertainer’s commitment to becoming the go-to destination for toy-buying this Christmas.

CREDITS: 

Client: The Entertainer 

Project/Campaign Name: RAY

First Air Date: 16 November 2024

Client: The Entertainer  

Founder: Gary Grant

CEO: Andrew Murphy

Marketing Director: Caroline Smith

Strategic Customer Marketing Manager: Olivia Delnevo-Harrison

Brand Marketing Executive: Jemima Preston  

 Creative Agency: adam&eveDDB

Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim

Creative Director/s: Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance

Creatives: Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance

Social Creative: Molly Johnstone

Joint Head of Integrated Production/ Producer: Sally Pritchett

Chief Strategy Officer: Martin Beverley

Planning Director: Catherine Willoughby

Chief Executive Officer: Miranda Hipwell

Business Director: Skye Gay

Account Director: Sophie Eyre, Cherith MacRitchie

Account Manager: Flora Hopewell

Project Manager: Tavie Agama, Charmaine Baley

Legal counsel: Candice Macleod, Tom Campbell

Business Affairs Manager: Edan Cummins

Media: OMD

Client Partner: Andrew O’Flynn

Executive Business Director  Michael Loizou

Chief Client Experience Officer Kathryn DeKeyser

Design: King Henry Studios

Head of Design: Paul Knowles

Production Company: MJZ

Producer: James Waters

PM: Davina Abrahams

1st AD: Benji Edwards

DOP: Anthony Dod Mantle

PD: Ben Ansell

Costume: Michelle May

Editing Company: Final Cut 

Editor: Rick Russell

Edit Producer / EP: Nikki Porter

VFX: 1920

Creative Director / VFX Supervisor: Bill McNamara

VFX Supervisors: Mike Farar, Jamie Stitson, Jorge Montiel Meurer

VFX Producer: Ross Culligan

VFX Co-Ordinator: Lena Almeida

VFX Artists: Lucas Warren, Tony Wells, Weronika Holak, Victoria Stuart, Lewys Rhodes, Oscar Carambano, Adrian Russell, Grace Davison, Alex Rumsey, Tiago Craft, Matilda Craig, Josh Curtis

DMP Artist: Jordan Haynes, Emilis Baltrusaitis

 Colour Grading Company: Company 3 

Colourist: Jean Clement

Colour Producer: Ellora Soret

 Soundtrack name: Baxter Dury & JGrrey 'It Must Have Been Love'

Publisher: “Universal Music Publishing Ltd. on behalf of Jimmy Fun Music”

Music Supervision: Leland

Music Supervisors: Abi Leland & Dhamirah Coombes

Arranger & Producer: Joel Cadbury

 Audio postproduction: Factory Studios

Sound design and mix: Anthony Moore

Audio producer: Beth Massey & Ciara Wakley