Brands target multi-generational appeal with ‘Toy Story 5’ collabs

Brands got ahead of the launch and have been leaning into the multi-generational appeal of the long-running “Toy Story” franchise with soaps, shirts and toys that will be splashed across retailer shelves and ad campaigns throughout the summer.

Irv Slobodskaya, director of brand marketing at men’s personal care brand Dr. Squatch, said the brand is seeing positive momentum around its limited-edition “Toy Story 5” drop that launched in May. It launched three soaps and two deodorants inspired by the franchise, including the Woody-inspired Howdy Hero scent, which blends snake root extract with desert sage, warm vanilla and leather.

The hope is that the scents appeal to grown-up “Toy Story” fans and their kids, who may not otherwise be familiar with the brand.

“What we’ve seen across most of our partnerships is that they do really move the needle with new customer acquisition,” Slobodskaya said. “I often refer to our IP partnerships as kind of a Trojan horse with new audiences.”

The rush of “Toy Story 5” collabs shows that finding the right brand-IP fit is becoming a standard marketing moment rather than a nice-to-have. Consumers have likely noticed more on-shelf collabs since the summer of 2023, when Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie spawned over 100 brand collabs, from apparel companies like Gap, PacSun and Forever 21 to beauty and personal care companies like OPI, NYX and Kitsch. Then, when “Wicked” launched in the fall of 2024, stores were flooded with pink-and-green merchandise. The sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” led to over 400 brand partnerships.

Some “Wicked: For Good” tie-ins involved the expected toys and gear from the likes of Lego, Funko and Mattel. But the movie also delved into CPG and partnered with the likes of P&G on licensed limited-edition household items like Gain laundry detergent and Dawn PowerWash. The result was more than $330 million in media and promotional value, and about 28 billion impressions within the first few months.

“Toy Story 5” may prove just as impactful, given that brands are looking to get the attention of both kids and their parents who grew up with the franchise. Simple Modern, which has made IP a key growth strategy, is tying its “Toy Story”-themed gear to its back-to-school season as it sells products like lunchboxes and water bottles. Luggage brand Away launched a line of carry-ons, backpacks and other accessories themed around individual characters. And Shoe Palace launched an apparel and accessories collection, including cowboy-themed gear inspired by Woody and Jessie.

On the toys and children’s gear side, consumer electronics brand Belkin launched an iPad case inspired by Lilypad, the tablet character featured in the new movie. Tonies, an audio player for kids, has a new line of “Toy Story” characters that offer storytelling and musical playtime.

Some brands aim to broaden their partnerships beyond products. Vitamin brand SmartyPants launched limited-edition “Toy Story”-branded packaging for its Kids Multi and Omegas, marking its first-ever licensed tie-in. In step, it launched a 360-degree campaign titled “Fuel Their Imagination,” which spans social media, retail shelves, online video, podcasts and streaming video.

Amy Avellar, senior director of brand communications, said the partnership aims to be more than a licensed SKU or media buy — it’s also meant to tie the brand to a greater cultural moment. SmartyPants hosted an influencer trip and is bringing the partnership into its upcoming Lollapalooza “Kidzapalooza” event. 

“What makes this unique is that it’s a coordinated brand moment [spanning] content to commerce,” she told Modern Retail. 

Avellar said choosing “Toy Story 5” as SmartyPants’ first brand tie-in made sense, given that the movie has strong themes of healthy childhood development; the plot centers on the tension between traditional toys and tablets. The brand, a subsidiary of Unilever that launched in 2011, often focuses its own messaging on science-backed nutrition and cognitive development. 

The campaign is set up to yield incremental brand awareness, cultural relevance and, ultimately, purchase consideration during a high-attention moment, Avellar said. But it took roughly a year to develop the partnership and its various touchpoints, Avellar said, including coordination across its legal, brand, product, retail and media teams — and, of course, Disney’s teams — to ensure the partnership ultimately felt on-brand.

“The biggest takeaway is that the partnership must be authentic to your brand’s purpose, not just additive marketing value,” she said. “For any brand entering an IP partnership for the first time, the opportunity is less about borrowing equity and more about building a meaningful bridge between your brand truth and something consumers already love.”

At Dr. Squatch, Slobodskaya said the team wanted to focus on the multi-generational appeal of “Toy Story 5.” That meant coming up with scents that evoke the characters but can also appeal to many demographics, knowing that it is often moms, wives and girlfriends who are buying for the men and boys in their lives.

“‘Toy Story’ is one of those rare franchises where we see it as multi-generational,” he said. “The first movie came out when I was five [years old], and now, peers of mine are seeing it in theaters with their kids.”

This collab also marked the first time an IP collab spanned both Dr. Squatch and its newer women’s personal care line, Jukebox. Those who spend at least $10 on the collection online or in person can send in their receipt to get a $5 Fandango promo code toward a “Toy Story 5” movie ticket. 

Slobodskaya said avoiding fatigue is one of the key parts of a successful IP collab, as it can be hard to stand out when there are dozens of products across the landscape featuring an of-the-moment character. He said the team leans into getting to know the IP and finding a way to bring it to life through scent, rather than simply “slapping a logo” onto an existing product.

Then, they measure success by looking at early sales data and the breadth of the fandom that collects the products or highlights them in social posts over time. Products in its “Fight Club” collection, for instance, are selling for more than double the retail cost on resale sites like eBay.

Slobodskaya said the company, which is also an official sponsor of this year’s World Cup, has a few other IP collabs up its sleeve for 2026.

“Based on learnings over the past five years, we’ve been able to really drill down into what we know will move the needle for our consumer base,” he said. “What was true in 2021 is probably not true in 2026.”