Photo: Toys ‘R’ Us
Will Geoffrey’s Road Trip Drive New Kids To Toys”R”Us?
The relaunched Toys”R”Us will try to engage a new generation of Toys”R”Us kids this summer by taking Geoffrey the Giraffe on the road.
The roadshow, which the retailer has dubbed “Geoffrey’s Tour Across America,” will consist of a series of weekend-long events at Macy’s flagship stores around the U.S., according to a press release. Brand activations, interactive experiences and VIP experiences and toy giveaways from popular brands will all be a part of the events.
“[W]e are sending Geoffrey across the country to kick up the excitement for families to have what we call a ‘playcation’ where you put your responsibilities aside and embrace fun,” said Kim Miller, global chief marketing officer at Toys”R”Us, in the press release. “And what we have in store for you is like nothing you’ve seen before.”
This tour comes after the retailer’s recent opening of Toys”R”Us shops inside all Macy’s locations in the U.S.
Toys”R”Us has been experimenting with ways to reestablish itself as a toy destination since its 2017 bankruptcy declaration and the subsequent closure of its iconic big box stores in the U.S.
Shortly after the original Toys”R”Us’ collapse, licensing company Tru Kids acquired the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us brands and made a couple of attempts at revitalizing the just-shuttered retailer. Tru Kids opened two Toys “R” Us pop-ups in malls in 2019, leveraging the b8ta retail tech platform, as CNBC reported. The novel coronavirus pandemic suppressing mall traffic put those locations out of business in January 2021. This era also saw a short-lived online partnership with Target and pop-up holiday-up shops.
In the spring of 2021, branding firm WHP Partners acquired a controlling interest in Tru Kids. Under WHP’s ownership, the retailer launched its store-within-a-store strategy in Macy’s locations.
WHP has also opened one standalone Toys”R”Us, in the American Dream Mall in New Jersey, and now has plans to open a Babies“R”Us store in the same mall, according to WMB Radio.
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Toys"R"Us Announces Geoffrey's Tour Across America — Toys"R"Us/PR Newswire
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Inside the wild and tumultuous history of Toys R Us — Business Insider
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Macy’s Expands WHP Global Partnership to Bring Toys“R”Us to Every Macy’s Store in America in Time for Holiday Season — Business Wire
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Toys R Us has a new owner that’s planning to open stores again in the U.S. — CNBC
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Babies “R” Us to return with store at American Dream mall — WMB Radio
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What will Toys”R”Us have to do to make its Geoffrey tour events successful? Will this type of traveling event lead to a renewed interest in the franchise as it attempts its comeback?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Georganne Bender
Principal, KIZER & BENDER Speaking
Neil Saunders
Managing Director, GlobalData
Toys “R” Us has a great opportunity to re-define the in-store experience. The model of “store as inventory warehouse” is tired and ineffective in competing for shoppers’ attention and dollars. If a toy store can’t find creative ways to leverage technology, social media, marketing, interactivity, etc. to attract kids into the store, I’m not sure what retail sector can.
At almost every Macy’s store I have visited, Toys “R” Us has become a mess because of poor shopkeeping. Perhaps there should be a Geoffrey “Recovery Tour” to rescue Macy’s from its poor merchandising standards.
The press release reads, “And what we have in store for you is like nothing you’ve seen before.” Right. You have to wonder if the people planning Geoffrey’s tour have actually visited a Toys “R” Us department at Macy’s.
Spot on, as always! I’ve been in so many Macy’s stores where the little play areas they set out for kids have nothing but dust on them. It’s typical Macy’s: talk a good game and fail on execution.
I laughed out loud at your first comment. I was thinking, what is the worst Daily Double bet one can make? Macy’s on the first race and Toys “R” Us on the second.
I would take my grandkids to Geoffrey’s Tour Across America in a heartbeat. There are plenty of Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials out here who remember the Toys “R” Us experience and miss it. Marketed properly this tour could be a hit.
Unfortunately, what’s happening at Macy’s doesn’t begin to replicate the real Toys “R” Us experience–it’s a toy department with TRU props.
The branch stores I visited were a mess, and even the TRU department at Macy’s Herald Square didn’t hold a candle to the original stores. If this event is to be truly successful the in-store experience needs to match the roadshow AND customer expectations. Right now that’s a big ask.
I’ve seen the Toys “R” Us set up in three different Macy’s stores. While they were neat and organized, they seemed very last decade, maybe even last century. Not bad, not horrible–just stuff on shelves. Not very interactive or omni. It seems like a big opportunity to make this a much more experiential occasion for parent and child alike. There’s a real opportunity for Macy’s here. I hope the whole Toys “R” Us brand presentation and experience continues to evolve.
Yes — it’s product on shelving, where’s the fun in that? I don’t know what re-vamp number they are on to re-invent themselves, but there has to be flashing lights or music or something to make me want to go there. I grew up with Toys “R” Us and I hope they can find the right recipe to keep themselves relevant.
Toys “R” Us of old was an immersive experience in aisles and aisles of toys with endless possibilities. If the tour can provide a modern, interactive and immersive experience that engages young customers beyond the four-walled visit of a Macy’s, anything is possible. However kids still want “the toy.” They don’t care where it comes from. The aisles and aisles are now online when it comes to purchasing.
Will this plan lead to a renewed interest in the franchise as it attempts its comeback?
When was the last time we tried to answer this question? 2018? 2020? 2022? Probably more. History gives us the answer.
Maybe this time will be different? It will if there are oodles of kids begging their parents to take them to Macy’s.
So outside of Herald Square and probably American Dream, the website doesn’t call out any tour sites yet. Rule #1 when announcing a tour: tell the people where it’s going. That said, I’m not sure what stores Macy’s even considers flagships anymore – will Chicago even be on the list? San Francisco? They ignore Mall of America for any of their big events.
Macy*s has – what? – seven flagships….and 700 stores (or whatever the number is this week): if you see the mismatch between this fraction and “widespread”, raise your hand.
I was actually in a macy*s this past weekend – for the record, the mall itself was quite crowded….except for the Sears store – and can testify there is indeed signage to the effect that there’s a TRU inside…somewhere; but I wonder what, if anything this means to most people. And that’s really the problem: a strong brand can draw people to a store (think Sephora and JCP). But a brand that has little, if any, meaning to most people is going to struggle to establish an identity if it’s simply a department in another store; even – some might argue especially – if that store is macy*s.