Smyths' Catalog Springs to Life as a Monster Made of Toys

The creature coughs up Pikachu and slime

What kid wouldn’t want a monster made of toys as their best friend? And if it vomits slime and Pikachu, all the better.

In Ireland, Smyths Toy Superstores brings this benevolent, barfing beastie to life, repping its catalog in a style designed to subvert traditional holiday marketing.

The work from Accenture Song agency Droga5 Dublin, GABHA Studios and Hungrymnan director Alex Roberts combines elements of Halloween commercials (a strange creature) with Xmas spirit (so many toys!). Breaking this week, the campaign packs a fresh approach that should stoke Smyths’ seasonal appeal ahead of the EOY gifting rush.

That CGI critter boasts 700 elements—some from familiar IPs, others not. Its game-ball knees and cars-for-shoes are especially rad. Those rocket-ship ears just rock—and Buzz Lightyear makes the perfect chest ornament.

“The Smyths Toys’ catalog is pretty special,” says agency CCO Jen Speirs. “Kids can’t wait for it to arrive and treat it like their best friend for a few months of the year. So, we thought, why not make it into an actual best friend? Our toy-ful, joyful new character is something we’ll keep coming back to.”

This approach feels bang on brand and especially true to Smyths’ youthful audience. For them, the volume’s 300+ pages contain endless possibilities.

The notion of toys as objects of wonder for kids, though clichéd, is timeless and true. What’s more, beloved playthings can become forever companions. Some special part of our youth lives on in a favorite game, doll or action figure long after we’ve ceased playing with them. (Though let’s be honest, some of us never do.) So, there’s nostalgic appeal here for adults as well. And for the most part, they’re the ones buying.

And of course, marketers love turning stuff into monsters. It’s a tried-and-true audience pleaser that can spark compelling visuals and elevated scope.

Some examples include…

• Tesco’s friendly fruit-and-veg giant from a few months back who’s all about eating healthy.
• Progressive’s sticky notes colossus, adding a sense of (vaguely menacing) whimsy to the small-business space.
• Ikea’s “Stuff Monster,” a sustainability metaphor with kaiju attitude.