Disney and social media, a perfect match?

Disney. With over 200 million likes on its various Facebook pages, it is one of the strongest and most recognizable brands in the world. Their movies and TV shows are shown in many countries around the world, airing to hundreds of millions.

They have a huge presence on social media, with their approach towards it being informational, rather than super commercial. They give fans the latest and best information on new movies and upcoming events. This is pretty clear if you have ever seen social media from Disney. The content that is shared on the Disney Living Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages all attempt to connect with its audience. It’s not always product-driven — many of the communications are casual and created to interact with fans. Here is an example, which shows a behind the scenes look at ‘Cars’

One way in which Disney adapted social media was to make their own website ‘Disney Family’. They realized that parents were willing to share their lives and embrace a sense of community online. The website is aimed at mothers and was created to give users the chance to make connections with other parents who are dealing with similar experiences. Asking questions and getting answers is a big part of social media. Although Disney is on all social media sites, it’s a great way to separate from those and create their own form of interactions. This was created in 2008 but continues to be a great source of media for their target audience; check it out at Disney Family!

The chairman of Disney’s consumer products is Andy Mooney, who states, “Social media is fundamental to the nature of how we communicate with the fans” and that “The tone and the content is more causal and insight-based and insider-based, especially for the most ardent fans of the franchises.” He knows what he is talking about. Disney has used the invention of social media as a way in which interaction and communication online can sell their products in ways not seen before this invention. In the past you would see a commercial on TV, but now you can gain instant access on YouTube to find out new information and have a more personal advertisement.  A good way in which Disney has done this is by using Videos of John Lasseter, the chief creative officer within the company, to introduce new toys and show you how they work. Take a look!

What do you think about this approach? It definitely feels more like he is talking to you rather than a TV commercial would. Out of all social media YouTube feels like the best way for Disney to get information across to their audience. Being a Movie and TV company the visual aspect is perfect for everyone involved.

Disney will continue to build on their amazing reputation as one of the world’s biggest companies, the use of social media will certainly be a huge help! Interacting and communicating with fans is something you would definitely relate to the Disney ‘brand’. So as Disney and social media both continue to grow there is only one way in which their partnership can go… to infinity and beyond! 

How ‘The Hunger Games’ built up must see fever through online interaction

In spring 2009 early promotion started for The Hunger Games. Three years later, millions of dollars spent, and a huge promotion push behind them, the movie became the must see motion picture with an opening of $152.5 million. How did this happen? How did it become the 3rd highest open in movie history? According to the New York Times, it took a marketing team of just 21 people and budget of 45 million to accomplish this.

Lionsgate started by creating a Facebook page, pumping information out into the public, getting the buzz and conversations to start between fans. After the next few months blogs and many up to date posts were created, a constant communication with fans was the key. Danielle DePalma, senior vice president for digital marketing states, “You’ve got to constantly give people something new to get excited about,” and Lionsgate did exactly this. Fans were invited to the set and not long after came a sneak peak of the movie, airing on MTV, which was a good way to get to their young fan base. They even created a website so that people could register for one of the 13 districts incorporated into the movie; it was all about two-way interaction. The marketers created Twitter stunts to get the audience excited for the release and get it trending around the world. It was now the fans selling the movie, thousands of online conversation about what they thought would happen or who they thought would win along with many other questions, all of which was good feedback for the company. The power of social media was in full effect.

Here’s a better idea of exactly how the team created this ‘Hunger Games Fever’ Hunger Games Video.  How much of this tweeting or posting did you see in the weeks leading up to the movie? Did it grab your attention?

These sorts of tactics have proven they work, just by looking at the number of sales and online conversations going on at a certain time about the movie. Lionsgate had passed their previous highest grossing movie within just 2 days of ‘The Hunger Games’ release; an amazing achievement!

The company still stood by some old tactics by using posters, magazine cover stories, newspaper ads and billboards but without the constant use of many different social medias and a year long monitor and update, this movie would not have been the hit that it turned out to be. This advertising worked because people look to social media as a way to be informed, they can find out what other people think of the movie, how they are preparing for it or give their own opinions for the world to see. While commercials seen on TV and on billboards are still very important there is still the fact that more teenagers spend so much of their time online and for this movie, that is the exact audience that the people at Lionsgate were looking to target. However not only is it attracting a younger audience but the explosion of older people now using social networks has helped to broaden the type of people the movie will attract. One of the great things about social networks is that it will reach people you never expected it to. Also with many people giving out more information and ways to contact them, its easier than ever for companies to send them links or contact them with new advertisements or pieces of media.

The big question now is how do they come up with new ideas to advertise the remaining 3 movies? They have already created a great brand image and advertising campaign, what do they do next? Having taken nearly 3 years from start to finish, I’m sure the marketing team will move swiftly onto planning for the next movie; there is no time for a break!

How Universal are incorporating social media into their mobile advertising campaign

The mobile phone is a great way for companies to get their advertising out to potential customers, as it is advertising ‘on the go,’ so no matter where they travel companies can always get their message out to their target audience. Nearly every teenager today has a mobile phone and most can access apps and social media on it, which is why companies, like Universal, are trying to use this to their advantage. After all, I would expect their target audience for this movie to be teenagers, so it looks like a great tactic!

Universal has done this with the release of ‘Snow White and the Huntsman.’ They run their ads within Pandora, a musical app. The ads that they have created incorporate links to their social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This is a great move to further their reach.  Getting their audience onto social media helps to interact with them and find out what they think about different subjects whilst also sending out information such as trailers and upcoming events. Universal can build a two-way deeper relationship with their audience, as well as raise awareness. After all, one in three people go to see a movie in a theatre, because of something they read on a social network.

The Universal Pictures ad features characters from the movie and encourages consumers to buy tickets for it via their mobile device. This is great because as soon as they click on this or the social media sites they are given so much information and most importantly how they buy tickets and go see the movie.

Even after the company has used these tactics and persuaded everyone to go see the movie, it doesn’t stop there. People use social media whilst they are in the movie theatre, checking it seems to have become an addiction. In a study around 11% of people said they do this, which in turn helps advertisers because they are sending more information out to all their friends and followers and the cycle continues.

Over the past decade, the mobile device has gotten much more complex and even now, it still continues to be an emerging advertising market with enormous potential, which is still far from being realized. How do you think it compares to the laptop in regard to giving out and receiving information from social media? Do you think it will change in the next 10 years?