Imagination for kids: Zum goldenen Hirschen and tonies® are sparking the imagination with “Book on Box. Cinema in the Mind.” The new campaign from tonies® and Zum goldenen Hirschen launches in May with the slogan “Book on Box. Cinema in the Mind.” Tonies® is opening a new chapter in audio entertainment for grown-ups and, for the first time, bringing popular children’s bestsellers and classics to the Toniebox. The aim is to make the Toniebox even more exciting for children aged five and over with the introduction of Book Tonies. Zum goldenen Hirschen has not only developed the campaign but is also taking on the role of lead agency for tonies® in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with immediate effect.
After winning the campaign pitch earlier this year, the creative agency put the comprehensive campaign together in record time. And thanks to the strong start, the collaboration is not set to be limited to this one campaign. “Working with the Hirschen has been a real pleasure right from the start. They got to grips with our brand and target audience incredibly quickly – both creatively and strategically. You could feel the motivation straight away to create something special together. The campaign for our new ‘Book Tonies’ product line for primary school children was just the beginning – we’re looking forward to the next steps with Die Hirsche as our lead agency in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” says Jannik Tuinte, Team Lead Brand Communication D/A/CH at tonies®.
With this new partnership, tonies® and Zum goldenen Hirschen are now committed – beyond the scope of the campaign – to making the Toniebox even more appealing to older children in the long term. After all, the Toniebox is a perennial favourite in German children’s bedrooms, but even the most wonderful children’s stories eventually lose their appeal as children grow older. With the Book Tonies, tonies® is launching a product line aimed at primary school-aged children.
The Book Tonies include not only current bestsellers in children’s literature such as “Zippel, das wirklich wahre Schlossgespenst” and “Und plötzlich war Frau Honig da”, but also literary classics such as “Moby Dick” or “Around the World in 80 Days”, which have been devoured by many generations. The new product line aims to spark enthusiasm for imaginative stories, thereby fostering imagination and creative thinking. The portfolio initially comprises 11 Book Tonies, offering a wide selection of stories and suitable for different age groups depending on the recommendation. Zum goldenen Hirschen is supporting this launch with a campaign that takes children into new worlds.
At the heart of the campaign is the idea of making the “inner cinema” visible. The visual execution impresses with a special twist: in the adverts, windows open into the children’s minds – and use animated sequences to bring to life how entire worlds are created from sound and imagination.
“We’re delighted to use this campaign for tonies® to show how we bring brands to life. ‘Book on a box. Cinema in your head.’ is more than just a slogan – it’s an invitation to children and parents to dive into fantastical worlds together. With fabulous animations that bring the original audiobook recordings to life, children’s imaginations are set alight. All based on the original audiobooks,‘ explains Marc Hergarden, Managing Director of Zum goldenen Hirschen Cologne, enthusiastically. ’We are truly very, very proud to continue supporting tonies® in the future and that a campaign has evolved into something more – a partnership.”
The project was implemented in collaboration with the production company Digital Gravity in Meerbusch and will be available from May 2025 on Instagram, YouTube, CTV, the tonies® website, as well as in print and at the point of sale.
