Learning lessons from Disney
Did you know that, of the 54 films to reach or surpass $1 billion at the box office, 31 belong to Disney? That hasn’t happened by accident. It is a result of a perfectly-crafted strategy that never fails to captivate and awe millions of people worldwide.
Therefore, if you’re looking for some inspiration for your marketing strategy, why not start with Disney?
Inspiring audiences
Disney engages by entertaining, with films being a main driver – fairytales in particular. But these days, they’re more than that. Their films of recent times have utilised more inspirational storylines, with more realistic and relatable characters. From Moana to Frozen, Disney creates content that motivates people to reach for the stars. These feel-good films move each and every one of us. And we keep coming back for more.
The lesson: whilst surpassing audience expectations gains you a competitive advantage, inspiring them helps you create a lifelong bond. For your content marketing, why not introduce elements of inspiration and positivity?
Importance of storytelling
Something Disney does well – amongst many other things – is celebrating the people that make it so special. Whether it’s the artists who bring the films to life or those who inspire the stories, Disney’s honour list is endless.
Doing this helps Disney create human connections, which is crucial when it comes to humanising the brand and building long-term customer relationships.
The lesson: talk about the people behind your brand, perhaps even through behind-the-scenes videos of how you create a product or service. Incorporating people into your content goes a long way in humanising your brand.
Emotional advertising
Many, if not most of Disney’s films, have a strong emotional pull, which is key to building a bond between brands and customers. Disney does this well, as they work to build anticipation and excitement around not only their films, but also their parks, merchandise etc.
The lesson: creating emotional connections helps when it comes to earning customer loyalty, which can also help generate word of mouth marketing.
Brand collaborations
Disney and McDonalds have had a fruitful partnership for decades, collaborating in a number of ways, whether it’s McDonald’s products at Disney’s parks or Disney merchandise in McDonald’s Happy Meals. Both have benefitted massively from this partnership, particularly Disney. Since by promoting movie merchandise through this fast food behemoth gets people talking about the films and characters. It’s hard proof of how cross-promotion strategies can help brands grow mutually.
The lesson: yes, it’s important to know your competitors, but it’s equally important – if not more so – to know your allies. Partnerships and collaborations for campaigns can benefit brands of all kinds, especially for those struggling with reach.
Is there anything here you’re going to adopt? Reach out to us on X and let’s have a conversation.
