Brawl Stars Toy Ads: How Supercell Turned ’90s Toy Commercial Nostalgia into Viral Marketing Chaos

Brawl Stars Toy Ads have quickly become one of the most talked-about game marketing campaigns of late 2025. Instead of following the standard mobile-game advertising formula—flashy gameplay clips, exaggerated UI zooms, and hard call-to-action prompts—Supercell took a radically different route. They recreated the look and tone of classic 1990s toy commercials, then deliberately let the entire concept spiral into violent, absurd, and darkly comedic chaos.

The result is not just an ad, but a statement: a long-form brand film that mocks toy advertising culture while reinforcing Brawl Stars’ identity as a chaotic, irreverent, and self-aware game universe.

What Are Brawl Stars Toy Ads?

At their core, Brawl Stars Toy Ads are live-action promotional films created by Supercell in collaboration with production company Bacon and directed by Bine Bach. The ads are styled to look like forgotten VHS-era toy commercials—complete with oversaturated colors, hyper-enthusiastic kids, cheesy product demonstrations, and fake toy branding.

The “product” being sold appears to be a line of cute collectible keychains called Buffies. For the first moments, everything feels familiar and harmless, just like the toy ads many millennials grew up watching. Then, without warning, the tone flips.

The toys turn hostile. Darts fly. Characters melt, get overwhelmed, or meet cartoonishly grim fates. What began as kitschy nostalgia becomes exaggerated body horror and slapstick violence. The final reveal reframes the entire experience: Buffies are not real toys at all, but in-game power-ups within Brawl Stars.

That twist is the heart of the campaign. The ad is not selling toys—it is parodying the very idea of toy advertising while expanding the game’s lore.

Why Supercell Chose the ’90s Toy Ad Format

The decision to build Brawl Stars Toy Ads around 1990s toy commercials is not accidental or purely aesthetic. It is a strategic creative choice grounded in audience psychology and brand positioning.

1. Nostalgia as an Emotional Entry PointBrawl Stars’ core audience largely consists of teens, young adults, and older players who grew up watching toy commercials on VHS and cable TV. The visual language instantly feels familiar and disarming.

2. Subversion Drives AttentionMost mobile game ads feel interchangeable. By mimicking a format viewers think they understand and then violently subverting it, Supercell ensures the ad is memorable and conversation-worthy.

3. Perfect Brand FitBrawl Stars has always embraced cartoon violence, absurd humor, and exaggerated chaos. Turning a wholesome toy ad into carnage aligns seamlessly with the game’s tone rather than conflicting with it.

4. Cultural CommentaryThe campaign subtly mocks how toy ads historically exaggerated fun, power, and excitement—pushing that exaggeration to grotesque extremes.

Creative Freedom and Brand Confidence

One of the most striking aspects of Brawl Stars Toy Ads is how far Supercell allowed the creative team to go. Director Bine Bach openly stated that many brands would hesitate to approve a concept involving cruelty toward teenagers, even in a clearly fictional and exaggerated setting.

Supercell did not hesitate.

That confidence comes from deep knowledge of their audience. Brawl Stars players are already comfortable with stylized violence and dark humor. There is no attempt to disguise the absurdity as realism. The violence is exaggerated, cartoonish, and clearly symbolic—closer to Looney Tunes chaos than real-world harm.

This trust between client and creators allowed the campaign to avoid the sanitized feel that plagues many big-budget game ads.

Buffies: Fake Toys, Real Narrative Power

The fictional Buffies toys are one of the smartest narrative devices in the campaign.

By presenting Buffies as physical merchandise—complete with packaging, demonstrations, and enthusiastic sales language—the ad intentionally misleads the viewer. That misdirection makes the final reveal more impactful: Buffies only exist inside the game.

From a marketing standpoint, this achieves several goals:

• It avoids regulatory issues associated with advertising physical toys to children

• It reinforces Brawl Stars’ internal universe and lore

• It transforms a feature announcement into entertainment rather than instruction

Instead of explaining mechanics, the ad makes viewers feel what Buffies represent: power, chaos, and unpredictability.

How Brawl Stars Toy Ads Differ from Typical Game Advertising

Most mobile game ads are designed for performance metrics: installs, cost per acquisition, and immediate conversions. Brawl Stars Toy Ads operate on an entirely different level.

These ads are best described as brand films, not direct-response advertising.

Key differences include:

• Longer runtime

• No immediate call to action

• Minimal gameplay footage

• Emphasis on tone, story, and spectacle

This approach makes sense given Brawl Stars’ scale. With millions of monthly active users and a global esports ecosystem, Supercell does not need to explain what the game is. Instead, it focuses on keeping the brand culturally relevant and emotionally resonant.

Why Brawl Stars Toy Ads Went Viral

The virality of Brawl Stars Toy Ads can be traced to several interconnected factors:

Expectation ViolationViewers think they know what they’re watching—and then realize they don’t.

Visual DensityEvery scene is packed with gags, references, and escalating chaos, encouraging rewatches.

Genre BlendingComedy, horror, parody, and nostalgia rarely coexist this smoothly in advertising.

Share-Driven Shock ValuePeople share the ad not because they were persuaded, but because they were surprised.

Community AlignmentThe humor feels like it was made for existing fans, not for broad demographic testing.

Comparison with Traditional Emotional Advertising

When compared to emotionally driven campaigns like Samsung’s holiday ads, the contrast is sharp. Emotional advertising aims for warmth, empathy, and relatability. Brawl Stars Toy Ads aim for disruption, laughter, and disbelief.

Neither approach is inherently superior—but they serve different objectives. Samsung builds trust and family association. Supercell reinforces rebellion, chaos, and playful danger. For a competitive multiplayer game, the latter is far more effective.

Marketing Lessons from Brawl Stars Toy Ads

There are several clear takeaways for marketers and creative strategists:

• Deep audience understanding enables creative risk

• Strong brands can afford indirect storytelling

• Entertainment value can outperform direct persuasion

• Nostalgia works best when twisted, not copied

• Viral success often comes from bold creative choices, not safe ones

Conclusion

Brawl Stars Toy Ads are more than a clever parody—they are a case study in confident brand storytelling. By hijacking the visual language of ’90s toy commercials and pushing it into absurd, violent territory, Supercell created a campaign that feels fresh, fearless, and unmistakably Brawl Stars.

The ads do not beg players to download the game. They assume viewers already understand the chaos—and simply invite them to enjoy it. In an industry flooded with formulaic advertising, Brawl Stars Toy Ads prove that creative courage is still one of the most powerful marketing tools available.