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The Entertainer, one of the world’s-fastest growing toy retailers, embarks on its biggest-ever TV advertising campaign for Christmas, the debut work is by newly retained creative agency adam&eveDDB.

Launching today online, the TV spot will first air on Saturday 16th November, at 8.30pm on ITV1 during a celebrity edition of The Chase. The 60-second film is inspired by the deep love kids develop for their toys – a passion which is shared by The Entertainer. The ad features the endearing character of Ray, a once much-loved stuffed toy who is now feeling a bit lost as his owner has since turned her attention towards a remote-control monster truck.

The advert is set to a cover of Roxette’s power ballad ‘It Must Have Been Love’ by established British indie musician, Baxter Dury. “We knew the music track would inform everything we did; the pace and performance so we had to get it just right,” said Matt Gay & Feargal Ballance, creatives at adam&eveDDB. “And we were after genuine heart break, but with a smile. We wanted a voice that encapsulated Ray’s character, something not cute or twee, and knew early on we wanted Baxter Dury. A voice that was different perhaps to what you’d normally hear in a Christmas spot.”

The story tugs at heartstrings and ends on a humorous note, concluding with the endline: “For the next love of their life.”

The Entertainer’s Ray won’t be lonely for long, as the toy will be available for purchase in store - and available on Moonpig.com - for a limited time for £12. Ray will also be taking over the toy aisles of Tesco, and is even featured as an easter egg in Tesco’s Christmas ad.

Caroline Smith, marketing director of The Entertainer, said, “Our brief to adam&eveDDB was to get parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and anyone else with a child in their life who’s obsessed with that one thing, to choose The Entertainer whenever they need to buy a toy. Their response was a strategy that is powerfully emotional, but with a streak of humour which will really give The Entertainer cut through during the Christmas advertising extravaganza.”

Richard Brim, chief creative officer of adam&eveDDB, said, “Kids are fickle little things but luckily The Entertainer is there to cater for their ever-changing ways. To tell this story we see it through the eyes of Ray, a once-favourite toy now side lined by the child’s next new love.”

The campaign runs until 24th December, across TV, BVOD, cinema, digital, and social platforms, reinforcing The Entertainer’s commitment to becoming the go-to destination for toy-buying this Christmas.