Toys “R” Us Premieres AI-Created Film at Cannes Lions Festival
Toys “R” Us made waves at the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival in France this week by debuting a short promo film that was almost entirely created using OpenAI’s new text-to-video tool.
Partnering with creative agency Native Foreign, Toys “R” Us showcased a 66-second promo featuring a young Toys “R” Us founder, Charles Lazarus, and the brand’s mascot Geoffrey the Giraffe. The film follows Lazarus as he envisions transforming toy stores with the help of Geoffrey, who appeared to him in a dream.
Reactions to the clip were mixed on social media, with some calling it a glimpse into the future of film and others deeming it “creepy.”
Toys “R” Us utilized Sora, OpenAI’s cutting-edge technology, along with corrective visual effects and an original music score to bring their vision to life. The company stated, “Charles Lazarus was a visionary ahead of his time, and we wanted to honor his legacy with a spot using the most cutting-edge technology available.”
While the film has not yet been confirmed as a TV ad, a spokesperson for the creative agency revealed that Toys “R” Us is still considering its options.
In February, OpenAI introduced Sora, an AI model capable of generating realistic and imaginative videos from text prompts. The tool can create videos up to 60 seconds in length, featuring multiple characters, specific motions, and detailed backgrounds.
Experts are now speculating that text-to-video AI models like Sora could disrupt the digital entertainment market. Though an official release date for Sora has not been announced, rumors suggest it may launch later this summer.