Smyths Toys Builds a 'Best Friend' Out of 700 Toys for Christmas
Updated: 6 days ago
TL;DR: Smyths Toys has launched its Christmas campaign early via Droga5 Dublin, turning its catalogue into a child's best friend built from around 700 toys, running across eight countries.
The Christmas ad starting gun has fired early again — and Smyths Toys has used it to turn a tactical asset into brand IP. Via Droga5 Dublin, the retailer has built a best-friend character physically constructed from around 700 individual toys.
The campaign
The character captures the magic of the catalogue's arrival — that childhood moment when the toy book lands. It is framed as a long-term brand platform and will run across eight countries around Black Friday and Christmas retail moments.
The construction is the creative: a friend literally made of the product, turning the catalogue's contents into a single, huggable idea.
Marketing Minute's read
The clever part is converting a workhorse asset — the catalogue — into reusable brand equity. Most retailers treat the Christmas catalogue as a tactical drop; Smyths has built a character and a platform it can own for years.
Launching in September is now standard, and for a toy retailer it is rational: gifting decisions, wish-lists and Black Friday all start earlier every year. Being first into the emotional Christmas space is worth more than being polished but late.
What retailers should take from it
Look at your seasonal workhorses — catalogues, flyers, loyalty mechanics — and ask which could become durable brand IP rather than a once-a-year cost. The best Christmas assets are the ones you can bring back and build on, not rebuild from scratch each November.
Quick FAQ
What is Smyths Toys' Christmas campaign?
A Droga5 Dublin platform built around a best-friend character made from about 700 toys, capturing the magic of the catalogue and running across eight countries.
Why launch a Christmas ad in September?
Gifting decisions, wish-lists and Black Friday all start earlier each year, so claiming the emotional Christmas space early is worth more than launching polished but late.
Smyths has done something smarter than a Christmas ad — it's turned its catalogue into brand IP. Most retailers burn their seasonal assets once a year. Building a character you can bring back and grow is how a tactical workhorse becomes long-term equity. That's the real lesson here. — Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing
Turn seasonal workhorse assets into reusable brand IP — the best Christmas creative is the kind you can bring back and build on.
Which of your seasonal campaigns could become a brand asset you reuse for years?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Little Black Book, More About Advertising, DecisionMarketing.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Merx Marketing Ltd and Marketing Minute
