In 1942 a teddy bear literally saved the life of a Jewish boy. Michael Floersheim survived his deportation to numerous concentration camps thanks to his teddy bear Arosali. The toy helped him cope with the extreme situation and was a beacon of hope in a situation that looked more than hopeless. A true example of the immense power a toy can have.

To commemorate the extraordinary feat Arosali accomplished and to keep the memory of Michael Floersheim alive, German toy retailer Spielzeux reproduced the teddy bear – down to the last detail. Spielzeux believes that toys are so much more than just toys.

They can be a source of joy, of strength, courage and hope. Even a new media channel, a teaching tool to show children the dangers of racism. Arosali is available for retail and all profits go to Children’s Dreams Association.

Arosali visited schools in person. We took the famous bear into classes and educated kids about the cruel doings of the Nazi regime using the toy. A much more emotionally involving approach to the topic.

And in the social web Arosali gained an incredible amount of momentum. People not only liked Arosali, they even posted their own toys. Their own guardians that gave them hope in unbearable times. Arosali’s made an important point for the power of toys all around the world.

On the digital platform, we created a unique user experience. We developed a dual way of storytelling. Every history piece of sorrow in Michael’s history is connected to a content piece of hope – showing that there’s a reason to never give up.

1000 Arosalis were produced, making the lives of 1000 children a little bit brighter. After one week, the story already generated a reach of more than 2 million users on social media. Our website had 1,8 million views and an average dwelling time of 3,5 minutes. The digital launch of Arosali initiated a global toy movement with people all over the world showing their very own personal talisman toys with the #arosali.