Shopping begins among the branches of an enormous oak tree. Instead of ordinary shelves and aisles, products are arranged throughout the treetop, where shoppers push their carts past everything from cleaning supplies and snacks to party decorations and sparkly slime. This is the unusual world that agency Tombras has created for the first national brand campaign of American retail chain Dollar Tree, titled It’s All In The Tree.
The campaign is built around a simple creative idea: turning the brand’s name into a literal setting. However, behind the playful visual approach lies a specific business objective. Dollar Tree, one of North America’s largest value retail chains, wants to expand brand perception beyond low prices and present shopping as an experience that combines practicality with the excitement of discovering something unexpected.
The first commercial, the 30-second New House, follows a couple exploring the enormous tree and coming across products they had planned to buy, as well as others they never knew they wanted. The film ends with the brand’s new tagline: “Everything you need. And want. It’s all in the tree.”
The campaign also gets a seasonal extension with the Sour Candy commercial, in which the same tree takes on a darker, Halloween-inspired appearance. Three friends search for Halloween candy and decorations, while a conversation about sour candy leads to an unexpected addition to their shopping cart – a toothbrush.
Both films were directed by Autumn de Wilde of production company Anonymous Content. Instead of a visual aesthetic that strives for complete realism, the campaign uses a deliberately theatrical, slightly retro approach reminiscent of children’s television programs from past decades. This aesthetic further emphasizes the unusual nature of the world in which the shopping experience takes place.
Brian Messerschmitt, Chief Marketing Officer at Dollar Tree, explains that the sense of discovery is precisely what the brand wants to bring to the forefront: “Our customers come to us for everyday essentials, but they also love the excitement of discovering something unexpected. With It’s All In The Tree, we’re bringing that feeling to life in a bigger, bolder way and inviting more people to see Dollar Tree as a destination for everything they need, and everything they didn’t know they wanted.”
The new communication platform aims to strengthen the brand’s connection with existing customers, reinforce their loyalty, and attract younger audiences and higher-income consumers who may not have previously considered Dollar Tree as a shopping destination.
It’s All In The Tree is also the first creative work by Tombras for Dollar Tree since the agency took on the role of the brand’s agency of record in August 2026. The campaign launched on October 20 and spans television and connected TV (CTV), online video, OTT, outdoor advertising, YouTube, and social media platforms, including Meta and TikTok.
Additional creative materials focusing on beauty, party supplies, and the holiday season have also been announced for the coming period, allowing the new brand platform to continue evolving.
At a time when many retail brands compete primarily on price, Dollar Tree is using this campaign to highlight another reason to visit its stores: the pleasure of finding something you never planned to buy in the first place.
