The Entertainer Reveals Biggest-Ever TV Christmas Campaign
The adam&eveDDB spot for the toy retailer stars 'Ray' the toy, exploring his envy towards his owner's new remote-control monster truck
15 November 2024
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