ToonMachine

The Challenge: The brief was wide open, but I knew a standard TV campaign wouldn't be enough. We needed something that was genuinely true to the brand's playful spirit with the caveat of having a super low budget.

The Insight: Create an experience where parents and kids could have fun together just like they do when watching Cartoons together. Bonus if they could work as a team and get rewarded for that.

We designed and built the "ToonMachine," a massive, six-meter-high, real-life arcade crane. It was a brilliantly analog idea in an increasingly digital world. We safely harnessed parents and suspended them over a giant prize pit. Their kids were at the joysticks, gleefully shouting directions. It was pure, chaotic joy—a genuine moment of family connection.

The Results: The ToonMachine was an instant phenomenon in Brazil. It drew massive crowds, generated over $1 million in spontaneous PR, and brought home multiple creative and marketing awards.

The concept I helped create was so strong and so universal that it was adopted and replicated by Cartoon Network across the globe, launching in regions like Australia and Asia in the following years. It's still my favorite proof that a simple, human insight and a brave creative idea will always beat a big budget.

Awards:
Colunistas 2013: GP
Cannes 2013: Short List Direct
Cannes 2013: Short List Promo & Activation
El Ojo 2013: Silver Promo
Clube de Criação 2013: Gold Promo