Example of brilliant viral marketing – Pixar, Toy Story 3

Check out these fantastic, newly released “lost toy commercials” from the early 1980s.

These are actually viral spots created by Disney/Pixar to help market the upcoming sequel to Toy Story. Each spot features a new character created for this film named Lots-o’-huggin’ Bear. An obvious homage to the old Care Bears line of plush by Kenner toys. Back then, Care Bears were all the rage for a couple of years in the toy biz. The Lots-o’ Bear will be a character in the film who has had to live both the highs and lows of being such a brand that was once at the top of heap then eventually discarded and forgotten.



These spot are completely creative and dead on mimic a youtube posted old commercial from the early age of the VCR. The spot is shot with ‘80s style marketing, jingle and fashion but even features the outdated and faulty technology with washed out color and patented VCR tape “fuzz” along the bottom of the image.

On top of it all, they even went as far as creating a Japanese style ‘80s spot for the toy as well!

Hollywood take note...this is a perfect example of how you take advantage of the internet to market your films.