The folks at Pixar are building buzz for its latest film Toy Story 3, which is due to be released this June. In true Pixar fashion, they have outdone themselves again—and I’m just referring to their marketing.
This third movie in the Toy Story series is set around the premise that the toys are dumped at a day care center when their “owner” Andy grows up and goes off to college. New territory certainly means the arrival of new characters, and Pixar is using viral video to introduce us!
Lots-O’ is one of the new pivotal characters in the story. He is said to be a fictional toy that supposedly originated in the 1980’s—and one of the oldest toys in the movie. As so many of the Toy Story characters are based on real toys—Mr. Potato Head, Barbie, Toy Soldiers, Slinky Dog—Pixar has very creatively released this faux Lots-O-Huggin Bear commercial, circa 1983, on the web.
From the clothing, hairstyles, lunch boxes, and film quality, this certainly feels like it is an authentic commercial. In fact, it is nostalgic enough that I feel like I must have owned a Lots-O- Huggin’ bear as a kid!
The most interesting part of the campaign is that the YouTube channel hosting the video, MrCrazycommericials, has uploaded several authentic 1980’s commercials, and Lots’-o-Huggin Bear is just a piece of the fun. Real commercials include Get In Shape Girl by Hasbro (one of my favorites from my youth), Strawberry Shortcake dolls, and Speak and Spell. An interesting, and brilliant tactic to reach out to the children of the eighties that will be bringing today’s youth to see the film—or in my instance, I’m excited to see the film all on my own.
The official Toy Story 3 page has a section that introduces us to all the new characters. Lotso is desribed as:
a jumbo, extra-soft teddy bear with a pink and white plush body and a velvety purple nose. This lovable bear stands fuzzy heads and shoulders above other teddy bears because he smells like sweet strawberries! With a smile that will light up your child’s face and a belly just asking to be hugged, Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear is sure to become a bedtime necessity. Stain-resistant. Spot clean plush surface with a damp cloth.
Yep, pretty sure I would have owned him in 1983…and I look forward to seeing what sorts of merchandise rolls out with the new film! …and hoping for some additional marketing tactics as brilliant as this one!
That commercial was great. Even after reading the backstory, I couldn’t help but try to convince myself that I’d actually seen this toy somewhere before.