Toys “R” Us goodbye campaign: Aw or Naw?

Following its recent closure in the US, Toys “R” Us has gotten customers feeling nostalgic about their childhood toys through an awareness campaign for their closing down sales.In a statement on its website accompanied with its Geoffrey the Giraffe mascot, Toys “R” Us thanked customers for sharing their amazing journey to and through parenthood with the brand. It also urged customers not to ever grow up and “Play on!” The website also came with a comprehensive FAQ on the store closures.On its Facebook page, the toy company had also posted a message telling customers to stay tuned for news and information on “the next chapter for Geoffrey and the iconic Toys “R” Us brands”. This was accompanied with the hashtag #TRUBeContinued. An image shared by the brand of its Geoffrey the Giraffe mascot holding a suitcase also made its rounds online, drawing nostalgia and sadness from netizens reflecting on their experience with the toy store.Toys R us’ didn’t even give me the chance to have kids before closing— lauren (@the_ebonylane) June 28, 2018The past week also saw the brand releasing various videos in relation to its exit in bid to publicise its closing down sales. This included sound bites from both customers as well as employees on their thoughts on the closure and their experience with the brand.While some fans of the toy store franchise were sad about its closure, several netizens have also been quick to voice how unaffected they are by the closures. With several pointing out that they did not have a chance to go to Toys "R" Us when they were young because its toys were too expensive.I’m not affected by toys r us closing down because I was too poor to ever shop there lmao — eliud (@eliudsax) June 28, 2018Toys R Us is closing before I can tell my kids that we aren’t going to Toys R Us pic.twitter.com/cmE1N3wTjy— Guy (@hierophantblack) June 29, 2018This sadness over Toys R Us closing and being such a part of our childhood keeps cracking me up because I sure as hell didn’t have the kind of childhood that involved a trip to Toys R Us to pick out toys. Sorry I was poor— basic wife (@basic_wife) June 29, 2018News of the Toys "R" Us' closure first emerged last year in September, with the company confirming that it was filing for bankruptcy protection, engaging law firm Kirkland & Ellis to assist in restructuring its debt due in 2018 worth US$400 million. The company had approximately 1,600 Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores around the world.Toys "R" Us' Asia operations however remain unaffected, Andre Javes, president at Toys“R”Us (Asia) reaffirmed, adding that the Asia business is financially robust and self-funding. According to Bloomberg, the US chain was in talks to dispose of its 85% stake in its Asia business to Fung Group, which is worth US$2 billion. According to ST, Toys "R" Us Asia currently has more than 400 stores across Southeast Asia and Greater China.