HOPPERS

TOM THE LIZARD CAMPAIGN

P I X A R

FROM MEME TO MOVIE STAR! WE TURNED “TOM THE LIZARD” INTO A REAL-WORLD CULTURAL ENGINE!

Ahead of release, Hoppers introduced Tom the Lizard as an instantly recognizable, meme-coded character, creating a rare opportunity to extend a viral moment beyond the screen. We built a campaign that treated Tom not as a piece of IP, but as a living presence, translating internet-native humor into real-world encounters.

​

At the center was a fully realized Tom the Lizard character brought into the physical world through a custom-designed suit and performance system, engineered to feel lo-fi, strange, and unmistakably “real.” Tom began appearing unannounced across public spaces, live events, and cultural moments, generating organic reactions, press coverage, and a steady stream of UGC that blurred the line between meme and reality.
 

The campaign extended into premiere and press environments, positioning Tom as both subject and spectacle, culminating in red carpet integrations and media interactions that reinforced his transition from internet oddity to cultural character.
 

I concepted the campaign from the ground up, defining the strategic framework, tone, and behavior system that guided Tom’s presence in the world. I led creative direction across all content and experiential outputs, including the design and development of the character suit in collaboration with Yo Gabba Gabba collaborators and artist Ben Bayouth, as well as overseeing performance direction, movement language, and content capture to ensure consistency across every appearance.
 

#1 Box Office Opening · $46M Domestic / $88M Global Opening Weekend · Pixar’s Biggest Original Debut Since 2017