Toys "R" Us has found itself in hot water following the release of its new ad created entirely with Sora, OpenAI's generative video artificial intelligence (AI) tool.
The commercial, crafted by the company's in-house studio and the creative agency Native Foreign, portrays a young Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys "R" Us, envisioning the establishment of the store and its mascot, Geoffrey the Giraffe.
"Charles Lazarus was a visionary ahead of his time and we wanted to honor his legacy with a spot using the most cutting-edge technology available," said Kim Miller Olko, Chief Marketing Officer of Toys "R" Us, in a statement.
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Despite the company's enthusiasm, the reception has been far from positive, particularly within the artistic and filmmaking communities. Joe Russo, director of "Avengers: Endgame," bluntly stated that the ad "sucks," with Elijah Wood, the actor portraying Frodo Baggins in "Lord of the Rings," adding "gross."
Critics focused on the technical flaws, such as inconsistencies in the main character's appearance and clothing throughout the video, with one X user comparing the ad to a "weird dream" where the character seems like a different person every time he appears.
Critics have also questioned the ad's artistic direction. Robin Schmidt, filmmaker and CEO of Metaverse multi-media production firm BasedAF, said:
This is not the way. Why these marketing people thought this was a good showcase of their product's soul is baffling. Kids want toys. Parents pay for those toys. It's about human beings.
The conversation has also shifted to the environmental impact of AI-generated content. RJ Palmer, a concept artist and illustrator, criticized the energy consumption required for AI production compared to traditional filming methods:
No aspect of this looks better than conventional tools yet it costs an order of magnitude more energy to produce.
OpenAI's Sora initially impressed social media users with its potential. However, as more footage emerges, the model's limitations have become apparent, including its struggle to produce seamless videos without uncanny inconsistencies.
Although the Toys "R" Us advertisement was met with negative reactions, it is likely inevitable that social media users will see more AI content in brand accounts, particularly as TikTok is introducing AI-powered digital avatars in its ads.
