Yes: Toys“R”Us Studios and creative agency Native Foreign used OpenAI’s Sora to make a brand film about the retailer’s origins. It premiered at Cannes Lions in June 2024. But it was a human-led production using AI-generated scenes—not a commercial made entirely by AI—and it does not prove Toys“R”Us had returned to its former retail scale.
What happened at Cannes Lions
Toys“R”Us Studios and Native Foreign made an origin-story film with Sora and premiered it during the 2024 Cannes Lions Festival, at an LBB Beach event. The company described the project as a first-ever brand film made with Sora; that is the company’s characterization, not independently verified proof that it was the first commercial to use generative AI. The full film is presented on the Toys“R”Us Studios page.
This was a June 2024 marketing project, not a new 2026 retail-expansion announcement. WHP Global, which owns Toys“R”Us, framed the film as part of the brand’s renewed cultural presence. The distinction matters: a campaign can signal a marketing ambition without demonstrating a change in store footprint or sales.
What the film depicts
The film dramatizes a young Charles Lazarus in the early 1930s and imagines the beginnings of Toys“R”Us and its mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe. Its dreamlike origin-story approach links the brand’s history to nostalgia and its current identity. It is a branded dramatization, not a documentary or a literal historical reconstruction.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match#1 Best Overall
- Features 6 US army men and 6 Special Forces combat soldiers action figures. Each army guys model is about 3.75" tall.
- They have excellent quality and can perform various actions like sitting, standing, turning their heads, moving their arms, and legs, making them perfect for action-packed play sessions.
- Unique Weapons included with each soldier, There are 12 guns in total. In addition, each action figures has a distinctly defined look that reflects the character's position in the army.
- Not only do these army men action figures work great as standalone toys, but they also great for seting them up with military vehicles in all kinds of battle scenes. Loads of fun!
- Whether you're a collector of military memorabilia or a kid who loves to play with soldier toys, this army toys will provide hours of entertainment and fun.
The company’s project description identifies Lazarus and Geoffrey as the central figures. Their pairing gives the film a concise emotional frame: the founder’s vision and the character that became one of the brand’s most recognizable symbols.
Who made the film—and what the AI did
Toys“R”Us Studios was the brand and production arm, working with creative agency Native Foreign. Nik Kleverov, Native Foreign’s chief creative officer, directed; Kim Miller Olko, Toys“R”Us global chief marketing officer and president of Toys“R”Us Studios, executive-produced. Aaron Marsh of Copeland composed the original score. The production also used corrective visual effects after generation, according to WHP Global’s announcement.
Rank #2
- 【Detachable Soldier Toys】: The body parts of these soldier toys can be detachable and reassembled, and the arms and legs of the toys can move freely.Kids can move any pose as they like.
- 【Durable Safe Material】: Army men set are made of high quality plastic, durable and safe.Kids can play them with confidence.
- 【Portable Size】: These army men action figures are about 4 inches in height, three-dimensional and vivid, suitable size can be compatible with castles or other military toys.
- 【Excellent Gift for Boys 4-7】: Great toy set for Children Birthday, Military Theme Party Favors, Military action men Collector, prepare it for your little kids or Army fans lovers, they will be very pleasantly surprised
- 【Decent Package Design】: We offer army men style package will more attractive,kids will more exceited when they get this army toy gift.
A human-led workflow
Sora generated visual scenes from text instructions, while the creative team shaped the concept, directed the work, selected and assembled shots, and finished the film. The announcement says the team worked through hundreds of iterations to reach a couple dozen shots and completed the project in a few weeks. Those are company-reported workflow details, not independently audited production data.
WHP Global described the film as almost entirely made with Sora, but the finished piece also involved corrective VFX and original music. Tech Times reported that Sora generated roughly 80–85% of the material and that about a dozen people worked on the project; that percentage is secondary reporting, not a disclosed technical audit. The sources do not specify the prompt library, exact number of generations, model settings, resolution, frame rate, budget, or a precise definition of the percentage.
Rank #3
- 【Movable US Army Men】 ：Soldier toy action figure arms and leg can be moved the shape as you like. Kids can develope their imagination to play these army men set.
- 【Super Value 6 Pack Army Men Set】: Each Military Men playset is with unique weapon，more realistic army men. Kids can paly with thier friends and have fun.
- 【Safe Material】The army men action figures are made of plastic, Non-toxic Paint to ensure the safety.
- 【Portable Size 】: Each Army men model is 4" tall, perfect size compatible with castles or other toys.
- 【Great Package ,Excellent Army Toy】: Great soldier toy for Easter,Children Birthday, Christmas,Military Theme Party Favors,
Why Sora’s availability mattered
When the film premiered, Sora had not been publicly released; Kleverov had early access. The project was therefore an early commercial demonstration of the technology, not an example of an ordinary user making a film through a public Sora workflow. WHP Global’s 2024 announcement described Sora as capable of producing videos up to one minute long. That was a historical capability description in the announcement, not a current product specification.
How this fits the Toys“R”Us comeback
Toys“R”Us’ brand revival and its retail recovery are related but different stories. WHP Global acquired the brand in 2021 and pursued licensing and retail channels, including e-commerce and Macy’s shop-in-shop locations. Tech Times’ June 2024 coverage described plans for as many as 24 U.S. stores or locations that year. Those were plans reported at the time, not a verified 2026 store count.
Rank #4
- 【Titan 13 Multi Jointed Action Figures】Each joint of the Titan 13 robot action figure is fully movable, allowing for a variety of poses and movements. It also comes with three different hand shapes and four weapon options for fun styling capabilities
- 【Premium Quality Materials】All nova 13 action figures are produced using 3D printers and are made from ABS and plastic. Choose from a wide range of colours to combine unique colours to personalise the dummy robot 13 action figure to suit preferences or create eye-catching designs.
- 【Assembly Complete】These action figures are assembled from plastic material, so you can personalise the robot figure with striking poses to your liking. In the meantime, we have the Titan 13 Robot Action Figure assembled and ready to play with when you receive it.
- 【Unique Design】Our nova 13 action figure is more than just a Robot Action Figure, it can also be used for table tops, backpacks, and other great decorations that can be posed in a variety of action-packed poses to add a touch of style to any space.
- 【Perfect Gift】The titan 13 action figure is ideal for robotics enthusiasts and collectors, perfect for birthdays, Christmas, holidays, any celebration or special occasion.
The Sora film is evidence of a marketing strategy: use the founder’s story, Geoffrey, and a conspicuous new production technology to make the brand feel culturally present. It is not evidence that the retailer had restored its former nationwide big-box footprint, nor does the available material show that the campaign caused or materially accelerated a retail turnaround.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the project shows about AI in advertising
The film showed that Sora could be incorporated into a polished branded-video workflow and used to explore visual scenes for an emotionally specific story. Its high-profile premiere also made the production itself part of the campaign’s news value. Geoffrey’s fantastical character and the dreamlike premise offered a natural setting for generative imagery, while the origin story tied that novelty to a recognizable brand narrative.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesBest Value
- 【Set of Military Soldier Action Figures】Come with 6 toy soldiers equipped with unique weapon, The head, arms and leg of the army action figures can move, easy to pose during playtime at will, can perform various actions like sitting, standing, turning their heads, making them perfect for action-packed play sessions.
- 【Detailed and Realistic】Each toy action figure is meticulously painted and highly detailed for a real army men, which offer infinite creative possibilities, imagine being a city hero to protect our homeland, enjoy a variety of characters and scenarios in their creative play.
- 【Creative Play】The army men action figures can easily help capture kids' attention and spark imaginative play. Setting them up with military vehicles in all kinds of battle scenes, encourage kids to unleash their imaginations and create various battle scenarios, fostering their creativity. Loads of fun!
- 【Safe & Durable】The set of 6 army guys models are made of high-quality plastic materials, built to last, thoroughly safety tested to safeguard your child's health. ASTM/CPSIA/EN71 approved. Ideal toys for 3 4 5 6 7+ year old boys girls.
- 【Perfect Gift for Kids】The army toys are especially designed to help children learn about history, warfare, and military knowledge, serving as engaging educational tools, making learning more vivid and enjoyable.It will make a exciting gift or prizes for kids. perfect for Christmas, New Year, Easter, Children's day, birthday and so on.
- More visual range, less guaranteed control: Generative video can help a team explore unusual scenes, but the announcement does not establish that shots were perfectly consistent or repeatable.
- Iteration still takes production work: The reported workflow involved choosing among many iterations, then adding VFX, music, editing, and brand approval.
- Novelty has a brand trade-off: Attention for using AI can help a campaign stand out, but visible inconsistencies could weaken the authenticity of a heritage story.
- Cost savings remain unproven: Faster exploration may affect production economics, but no budget or verified cost comparison was disclosed.
For brand teams, the lesson is not that a video model replaces a director or production crew. It is that AI can become one tool in a process that still depends on human creative decisions and finishing work. This case does not establish what a comparable conventional production would have cost or whether the approach would suit a campaign requiring exact product details, continuity, or a documented production workflow.
Quick Recap
What this film does not establish
- That AI generated every frame or made the film without human artists.
- That production cost less than a conventional approach, since no verified budget or comparison is public in the cited material.
- That Sora eliminated filmmaking roles; the named director, agency, executive producer, composer, and VFX work point to a collaborative production.
- That the film was made through the same public Sora product ordinary users could access at the time; Sora was not publicly released at the premiere.
- That the Cannes Lions premiere represented a mass-market advertising rollout or that the campaign improved retail performance.
- That the 2024 store plans describe Toys“R”Us’ current store count.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
