---
title: Smyths Toys
date: 2026-04-16T09:29:00+01:00
author: Mona Parmar
canonical_url: "https://itsprettygreen.com/work/smyths-toys-toy-story-effect"
section: Projects
---
# Smyths ToysToy Story Effect

[Digital PR](https://itsprettygreen.com/services/digital-pr)

![](/uploads/transforms/Images/Latest/_1920x1080_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Image-3.jpg)

## Making Smyths the retail destination for Toy Story 5

##### Challenge

*Toy Story* has shaped childhoods for almost thirty years. Parents who grew up with Woody and Buzz are now introducing them to a new generation.

Ahead of *Toy Story 5*, Smyths wanted to become the retailer families thought of first. The challenge was creating a campaign that would capture the nostalgia surrounding the franchise while giving people a reason to engage with Smyths before the film reached cinemas.

##### Activation

We found the story in an unexpected place.

Using exclusive ONS data, we revealed how *Toy Story* characters had influenced the names parents chose for their children over the last three decades. Woody. Buzz. Jessie. Rex. A cultural insight became a national news story, earning widespread coverage ahead of the film's release.

Then we turned attention into action. Children named Woody, Buzz, Jessie or Rex were invited into Smyths stores to redeem a free *Toy Story* figure, connecting earned media with retail engagement and introducing families to the wider *Toy Story* range.

##### Impact

The campaign made Smyths part of the *Toy Story* conversation before audiences reached the cinema.

It generated **44** pieces of national and regional media coverage and **614,000** coverage views. Toy Story-related searches on the Smyths website increased by **55%**, while Smyths ranked **\#1 and #2** on Google for key *Toy Story* search terms during launch.

Traffic to *Toy Story* category pages increased by **32%** and **7,586** free *Toy Story* figures were redeemed in store, creating thousands of retail interactions during one of the year's biggest entertainment launches.

44pieces of national and regional media coverage614,000coverage views55%uplift in Toy Story-related keyword searches on the Smyths' website32%increase in traffic to the Smyths' Toy Story category page7,586free Toy Story toys redeemed in store as a result of the coveragePosition 2in SERP ranking for "Toy Story Woody" and "Woody and Buzz" during a key trading period around the film's release

![](/uploads/transforms/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Image-1.jpg)

![](/uploads/transforms/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Image-2.jpg)

![](/uploads/transforms/Images/Latest/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Image-4.jpg)

![](/uploads/transforms/Images/Case-Studies/Smyths/Toy-Story-Effect/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Coverage-Wales-Online.png)

![](/uploads/transforms/Images/Case-Studies/Smyths/Toy-Story-Effect/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Toy-Story-Coverage-Oxford-Mail.png)

![](/uploads/transforms/Images/Case-Studies/Smyths/Toy-Story-Effect/_1600xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Daily-Star-Toy-Story-Coverage-with-logo.png)

## Want to see more?

[See our work

See our work](https://itsprettygreen.com/work)[![A lively group of individuals, dressed in matching black and white striped shirts, stand in a line eagerly outside a bustling pizzeria in an urban setting. The shop's warm yellow awning contrasts with the grey facade, adding a vibrant touch to the scene.](/uploads/transforms/Images/Case-Studies/PEX/_924xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/image-4-1.jpeg)

PizzaExpress

### Earn Your Stripes Making Pizza Express famous as the go to dining option

PR & Digital PR](https://itsprettygreen.com/work/pizzaexpress-earn-your-stripes)

[![A playful family of cartoon pigs, featuring a cheerful father wearing glasses, a lovingly round mother, and two joyful piglets. Bright pink hues contrast against a vivid blue sky, accompanied by soft white clouds and lush green grass, creating a joyful and inviting atmosphere.](/uploads/transforms/Images/Case-Studies/_1620xAUTO_crop_center-center_90_none/Hasbro_Thumbnail.jpg)

Hasbro

### Mummy Pig's Pregnancy Breaks the Internet Turning a children’s storyline into a global pop culture news moment

PR & Digital PR](https://itsprettygreen.com/work/hasbro-mummy-pigs-pregnancy-breaks-the-internet)

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