VTech puzzles wee shoppers with interactive floor displays

The children's developmental toy company launches holiday campaign featuring interactive digital floor projection displays that allow children to manipulate images, such as puzzle pieces, with their feet.

By Katie Bailey
December 2, 2009

What’s more fun than moving giant puzzle pieces around with your toes? Not much, really, if you’re three years old and stuck in the mall with your parents as they slog through their holiday shopping.

VTech Technologies Canada, a maker of developmental toys and games for children, is hoping to solve that toddler dilemma with interactive in-mall entertainment courtesy of digital displays in malls across the GTA.

Created by Montreal’s Rouge Media Group, the installations feature a digital screen that sits on the floor of the mall. The images on the screen can be manipulated by walking over them, allowing children to move elements – such as bubbles or puzzle pieces – around with their feet. The digital images, when moved around, reveal a VTech product underneath. Names of VTech retail partners are also imprinted on the display. The installations are set to roll out throughout the month at Erin Mills Town Centre (Nov. 26 to Dec. 2), Vaughan Mills (Nov. 30 to Dec. 6) Scarborough Town Centre (Dec. 4 to 10) and Markville Shopping Centre (Dec. 8 to 14). The malls were selected for VTech preferred retailers within, and each installation is located in proximity to the mall’s Santa display.

While the display itself does appeal to children, the target of the campaign is women 25 to 49 who make the purchasing decisions regarding their children’s toys, Colleen Ward, account director at Genesis Vizeum, which handled media for the campaign, told MiC.

‘With the floor projections, we really just wanted to stand out and make an impact in this highly competitive category,’ she explained. ‘It makes sense because the products themselves are interactive and digital and it really helps create the feel for what VTech the brand is all about.’

The installations are part of a greater campaign that started in October and includes TV spots on specialty channels such as W Network and HGTV, print in magazines such as Today’s Parent and Glow and online at mom-friendly sites such as SweetMama and CanadianParents.com. The online media strategy includes display ads, advertorial, contests, sponsorships, and e-newsletters.