Mister Imagine's Toy Store
Chicago Children’s Museum
Issue 26 | March 2013
Agency
Energy BBDO / Xi Chicago
Creative Team
VP Creative Director: Jonathan Linder Associate Creative Director Copy Writer: Natalie Taylor Associate Creative Director- AD: Francis Almeda Senior Art Director: Austin Scott Creative Technologist: Brian Busche Creative Technologist: Danny Lee Jr. Copywriter: Allie Gehan Jr. Art Director: Katie Putnam
Production Team
Experimental Producer: Jeff Davis Senior Print Producer: Jackie Lapides Art Producer: Karen Tissel
Other Credits
Account Supervisor: Jessie Levy Assistant Account Executive: Brittany Peskind Strategic Planner Director: Shannon Smiley
Date
Oct 13- 20, 2012
Background
When Chicago Children’s Museum first approached Energy BBDO/Xi in 2012, they had good news and bad news. The good news was that they were in the midst of building Unboxed, a new exhibit showcasing cardboard. The bad news was that they were in the midst of building Unboxed, a new exhibit showcasing, well, cardboard. To ensure attendance to this exhibit happened, on the museum’s four-digit marketing budget would take more than a single print ad. It would take something unique. Something worthy of conversation. Something that would make kids cry. Then laugh. Then laugh some more.
Idea
Mister Imagine’s Toy Store opened in October in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. To the surprise of everyone, instead of actual toys, the store was stocked with cardboard boxes. Which meant if kids wanted a robot or a dollhouse or an Xbox, they were going to need their imagination. Since Mister Imagine’s was marketed as a real toy store through storefront signage, wheat-paste posters, fliers, a Yelp page and a store website, media outreach and blogger kits (empty cardboard boxes) all of the patrons who entered the store were confused or – dare we say? – disappointed, when they realized that real toys had been replaced with brown boxes. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for their tune to change. After purchasing a box (100% of the proceeds benefitted the museum), kids were shown the workshop, a space in the store where art facilitators from Chicago Children’s Museum assisted kids in transforming their box into the toy of the dreams. With receipt of a purchase (donation) each customer received either a free entrance to the Unboxed exhibit, a discount on an annual membership, or a high five.
Results
During the ten days that Mister Imagine’s was open, the store welcomed thousands of shoppers, with the average visit lasting over an hour. Coverage of the experience was picked up by various news outlets, such as ABC, Fox, Creativity, PSFK, Design Taxi, Adweek and many more in addition to a long list of bloggers. In the end, Mister Imagine’s Toy Store led to a 13% increase in exhibit attendance at Chicago Children’s Museum during the month after it ran, and doubled member visits. But the best part? Everyone saw the value in something as plain and seemingly boring as cardboard. That, and the kid who left as a cardboard alien. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30rCiP2U4ZI