The new TV commercial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKc5729i7EY) , which can be seen from today as part of the cross-media campaign, revolves around what happens when Eva comes face to face with the saint. From that moment on, the young girl only wants one thing: to become Sinterklaas herself. A dream that she goes all out for and puts all the necessary items on her wish list. The music under the TV commercial is a re-recording of the 80's hit 'Holding Out For A Hero' by Bonnie Tyler. “With this film, in addition to giving a positive Sinterklaas feeling, we especially want to make it clear that every child can become whatever he or she wants. Even when that may seem unattainable,” says Boukje Taphoorn, Chief Marketing & Sustainability Officer at bol. The new campaign was developed by DEPT®.

Help for the assistant Saint
Bol has invested heavily this year in further expanding The Big Toy Book ecosystem. For example, by adding the HulpSint Platform to the Big Toy App. Mathieu Veldhuijzen, Lead of the Big Toy Book: “ We wanted to offer parents even more convenience this year in the run-up to Sinterklaas. On our platform, they can now plan and send different messages for their child using text-to-speech and an AI-generated voice of Sinterklaas. For example, a compliment, thank you or permission to put on your shoe. We also use the platform to provide insight into the wish lists that children have sent to Sinterklaas via the Big Toy App. This allows parents to effortlessly step into the role of Assistant Santa. Help for the helpers of the Netherlands!” 

The platform also contains countless useful tips and tricks for parents, ranging from suggestions for games, outings and baking together to answers to difficult questions such as 'How can Santa be everywhere at once?' and 'How does he walk on solar panels?'. In addition, the Big Toy App offers an interactive audio story, “Sint en de Vergetelnoot,” that children can read themselves or have Testpiet from De Club van Sinterklaas read to them. In this exciting story, Sinterklaas has lost his memory and urgently needs help to get Christmas Eve back on track. This feature in the app fits seamlessly with bol's Bollebozen initiative (https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/m/bollebozen/) , which aims to promote reading pleasure and storytelling.

A major branded content partnership has been set up in collaboration with De Club van Sinterklaas. The Big Toy Book and the Big Toy App can be seen in the cinema film 'The Club of Sinterklaas film: The Stranded Steamboat' and on the PietenTube channel. In addition, a special song and video clip was made entitled 'Blije Koppies'. There is also a collaboration with Donald Duck: a special Vergetelnoot strip can be found four times in the largest weekly magazine in the Netherlands.

The campaign will be rolled out from today on TV, online video, OOH, digital advertising, social media, influencers and radio. The campaign is also visible in cinemas. More information about bol's Sinterklaas campaign and the HulpSint Platform can be found on the bol website. More about the Big Toy App can be found at: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/sf/speelgoed-app/ (https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/sf/speelgoed-app/)

Campaign credits:
bol: Renee de Brouwer, Esmee Blom, Simone Monster, Niels Moes, Danielle Snoeij, Fiona Vanderbroeck, Boukje Taphoorn.
Agency: DEPT®
Director: Willem Gerritsen, Czar
Media agency: Dentsu Netherlands and Mindshare Belgium
Branded content: Jabadoo, DPG Media, Roularta
Online translation: Men in Green
Influencers: Femmefab
PR: NewsLab

Credits Large Toy Book ecosystem:
sphere: Creative Studio, Chantal Kremer, Sanne Huijsmans, Niek Sanders, Mathieu Veldhuijzen.
Agencies: De Reclamefabriek, DEPT® and Bright River.