Once a global sensation in the toy retail industry, Toys "R" Us is now leveraging artificial intelligence technology to revitalize its brand. This company, which went bankrupt in 2018 due to private equity operations, recently released a "brand film" made using OpenAI's Sora text-to-video tool, drawing industry attention.

The video was led by brand management company WHP Global, with production handled by Native Foreign creative agency. Director Nick Klevtsov stated that Sora completed about 80-85% of the work, after which the team made visual effects corrections. However, insiders noticed that some shots in the video appeared to reuse footage from previous projects Native Foreign collaborated on with Sora.

This 66-second promotional film tells the story of Toys "R" Us's young founder, Charles Lazarus. He dreamed of transforming toy stores with the help of the brand's mascot, the giraffe Geoffrey, who appeared in his dream. Social media reactions to the video have been mixed.

Although OpenAI's Chief Technology Officer declined to reveal the source of Sora's training data, the industry generally speculates it might come from YouTube. Since its introduction in February of this year, this technology has attracted attention for its realistic video generation capabilities, and it has been reported that OpenAI has been promoting this technology to Hollywood.

Toys "R" Us's attempt reflects the brand's efforts to reinvent itself. WHP Global has already licensed the brand to stores like Macy's and plans to open up to 24 physical stores in 2024, while also expanding into channels like airports and cruise ships. Notably, this is not the first time Toys "R" Us has used emerging technology to attract customers; in 2017, when it filed for bankruptcy, the company launched an AR application to enhance customer experience.

However, the actual impact of this "AI brand film" remains to be seen. Currently, the video is only playing on toysrus.com and at the Cannes International Creativity Festival, and has not been released in other commercial channels.

The road to revival for Toys "R" Us is full of challenges. Although some specialty stores and WHSmith shops have been opened in the UK, and there are also two large stores in the US, whether these efforts can restore the brand's former glory remains uncertain.

This case not only showcases the potential of AI technology in brand marketing but also raises discussions about data sources, creative ethics, and the boundaries of technology application. As AI technology continues to develop, similar brand reinvention attempts may become more frequent, and we will continue to observe how AI reshapes traditional industries and consumer experiences.