Alex SchaefferITGM 705Spring 2011Toys For Tots Interactive DisplayFinal Presentation

The Problem:

Audience:

Motivation:

The Solution:

Toys For Tots is an invisible, and flat brand. People love donating, but often forget due to poor visibility and visual interest and appeal. They can’t see how their one donation can help form a bigger picture, and make children happy.

Primarily mothers and fathers, ages 30-60. They still identify with their children being at an age where toys and development are essential to their future. They’d love to donate to Toys For Tots, but often forget it’s there and remember too late in the holiday season.

I always had plenty of toys to play with when I was a kid, and it was a big influence on developing my imagination and storytelling abilities. I think the act of play is so crucial to children’s development, and Toys For Tots is incredible in helping more children learn the art of playing.

Create an interactive display that shows people that their donations really do matter and are a piece to the puzzle of a happier, more imaginative youth.

Choo Choo ChristmasTo create an interactive display and experience of the act of giving to Toys For Tots we will create enormous Toys For Tots train displays.

The displays will be created entirely out of what makes Toys For Tots—gifts.

In key metro market shopping centers we will have Toys For Tots wrapping stations. There, people bring their donations and they are wrapped on site in a pre-determined wrapping paper color to fit into a design template.

The gifts are slowly built into a train, progressively building the beautiful act of giving to Toys For Tots. The display is visually appealing, has stopping power, and doesn’t add any extra costs except for wrapping paper—which Toys For Tots does anyway for the kids.

Gift WrappingDonors will bring their gift to the table and have it wrapped by Toys For Tots volunteers. They also have the option of including a card obtained at the wrapping table to add a personal message to the child receiving their gift.

The Train DisplayAs the gifts are wrapped, one by one they are placed into a pre-made train form to create a train made entirely out of Toys For Tots donations.

Train is entirely made of wrapped gifts

Wheels and base layer are preconstructed

Feedback & Moving ForwardAfter sharing my proposal with the class and receiving feedback, as well as bouncing some ideas around it became apparent that the star to the concept were the train cars. Moving forward I decided that the visualization would come in the form of creating track cars, rather than the entire train.

I also wanted to simply state the process of how a toy goes from donor to the child receiving the toy on Christmas.

Updated Process

Pick out a toy for a tot.

Take your toy to a Toys For Tots wrapping tablein your local mall.

Your present will be lovingly wrapped.

Your wrapped gift will be placed onto the Toys For Tots train car.

On Christmas Eve tots come to the train and pick out their beautiful gifts.

Updated VisualizationI updated my visualization, in the form of a colored pencil drawing to illustrate the conceptual changes in my project. Rather than the front car, I now have displayed a full track car with gifts.

Closing Thoughts

Promotion Ideas

- This concept could be easily exported as a school or office fundraiser

- Malls seem the most accessible, especially for the holiday season

- Really graphically demonstrates the act of giving

- Makes donating appear as beautiful as it is

- Create a new, memorable tradition and icon for the Toys For Tots brand

- A global digital interactive display of total gifts, show as a huge train

- Print ads targeted in the Sunday papers

- Branded swag for gift wrappers to give out and wear