How Does Disney Use Digital Marketing Strategies Successfully?

Since the birth of Mickey Mouse in 1928, the Walt Disney Company has become one of the biggest companies in the world.

The mission of the company is to be one of the leading producers of entertainment, information, and inspiration for people all around the world through innovative technologies and the power of storytelling by creative minds. 

The corporation of Walt Disney owns massive sub-companies including Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, allowing the company to acquire great brand value and make a killing rate of return in recent years. Of course, it does not happen by chance. To be the world’s premier entertainment company, executives and directors at Disney put much effort into digital marketing that will help them grow their business to be one of the most powerful brands of all time. 

The roadmap of Disney’s digital marketing strategy is paved by intelligent plans and hard work over many years. In this article, our purpose is to inform you about Disney’s digital marketing strategy for roaring success in the entertainment industry.

Digital Marketing Strategy of Disney

We can say that Disney is a pro when it comes to digital marketing. The company perfectly engages with its audience, and successfully generates new memorable moments for them across multiple digital platforms. By doing so, Disney’s key is focusing on creating clever and heartfelt content that captures the audience’s attention.

For example, to celebrate Star Wars Day, Disney made a mashup of its two universes and created a new and sincere place to meet fans of Star Wars and the Simpsons: 

Selecting the cutest character in the Simpsons universe and using her to promote Star Wars films as the new versions are made by Disney and stream on Disney+ is a super logical step to take.

Besides creating engaging video content, Disney also benefits from other aspects of the digital marketing world. For example, the company recognizes the value of digital advertising:

In short, Disney’s digital marketing strategy is based on leveraging multiple channels to spread the word and benefit from the power of storytelling.

There is no doubt that Disney uses social media to connect with its audience very effectively. Sharing posts on various social media platforms allows the company to interact with its audience through a multi-channel strategy.

Not only the main Disney account but also Pixar, Mickey Mouse, Disney+, Star Wars, and other accounts of the company constantly share photos, videos, quizzes, and surveys on topics that will attract the people who are likely to be interested in their content.

Apart from the daily posts, Disney’s social media strategy involves sharing content that will engage the followers and make them comment on the posts. Disney also aims to keep its fans engaged by sharing content strategically for different types of audiences. 

Disney also never forgets to celebrate special days with heartwarming content on its social media accounts:

Are you seeking something beyond answering “How does Disney use social media?” like another example of utilizing social media as a key to success by creating compelling content? Then, here’s our blog post about the digital marketing strategy of Netflix. It is packed with valuable information that will broaden your understanding of how companies can leverage social media and other digital channels to achieve remarkable success.

Content Marketing of Disney

As Will Burns states in his article on Forbes, “Disney tells stories first, develops and sells products second.” So, Disney has mastered the art of captivating its audience in a way that fosters long-term loyalty and emotional connections by prioritizing narratives over sales pitches. 

Disney’s content marketing strategy revolves around the creation of captivating and diverse content across multiple platforms. Rather than solely focusing on selling products, the company understands the importance of providing meaningful experiences for its audience. 

From blockbuster films and animated series to theme park adventures and merchandise, Disney’s content is carefully crafted to resonate with audiences of all ages. This multi-channel approach enables Disney to maintain a strong presence and build enduring relationships with its fans, nurturing brand loyalty and sustained engagement.

Advertising Strategy of Disney

In terms of advertising, Disney’s storytelling technique is on point. The company uses various mediums like television, print, outdoor, and digital advertising to create emotional connections with their audience. 

Disney’s outdoor advertising strategy includes billboards, bus shelters, and transit advertising, which is used to promote their theme parks and events. The company’s digital advertising is also interactive and engaging, featuring content like quizzes and games.

Disney’s Marketing & Ad Campaign Examples

As one of the most effective storytellers, Disney turns the spotlight on itself with attractive campaigns. Here are two examples of Disney’s interesting campaigns:

1. Dream Big Princess Campaign

The #DreamBigPrincess initiative, developed by the Walt Disney Company, aims to encourage kids around the world to dream big and follow their dreams. The company challenged a group of photographers all around the world to take powerful photos of real-life female role models, including an aspiring paralympian from the USA and a windsurfing champion from Israel. 

Every role model in this campaign was a source of inspiration for girls with their magical stories and competed against negative stereotyping. It was aimed to draw attention to the strong and feisty characters of Disney’s princesses such as Moana and Merida to inspire all the girls and support their empowerment. 

Besides, Disney announced that they would donate $1 to the ‘Girl Up’ campaign of the UN for any public post of a photo using #DreamBigPrincess on social media platforms.

Among the Disney digital campaigns, this one attracted great attention around the globe and contributed to both the movement of girl power and the company’s branding.

2. “Andy Night” with 50 Imaginative Andys

For another campaign created by Disney, an event called “Andy Night” was organized in Toy Story Land located in Walt Disney Studios. Inspired by Andy, the imaginative character of Toy Story, 50 people named Andy were invited by Walt Disney and welcomed with several surprises. 

In Toy Story Land, guests entered a world created by Andy and celebrated his creativity all together with an exclusive event. Both female and male Andys attended the organization and had an amazing night at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Guests had a terrific experience during the event, designed as a part of the campaign to demonstrate the multi-generational appeal of Disney’s newest expansion. You can watch the branded film about the event on YouTube.

3. Anniversary Celebrations 

On 6 Aug. 2020, Disney announced the launch of a virtual family festival called “Pixar Fest” to mark the 25th anniversary of Pixar’s Toy Story. The event started with an epic collection of Pixar movies on Disney+ channel, animator masterclasses, new product releases, and online quizzes for movie buffs. 

Detailed program and weekly watchalongs were published on Disney’s social channels including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

A great number of people who are fans of Pixar movies and products followed their posts on social media and participated in the fest. Disney social media posts also attract a great deal of attention with remarkable content and presentation.

Disney’s Social Purpose 

As a global vision of social responsibility, the Disney company supports those in need and creates various opportunities for them to improve their world with inspiration. The main purpose is to make a difference through the power of their storytelling and brand identity. 

The company organizes charitable programs in collaboration with others to deliver comfort and inspiration together. 

For instance, Disney Germany built a partnership with  Kinderträume e.V to grant a 4-year-old  girl who was a Frozen fan and was suffering from a serious illness. She was unable to leave the hospital to see her favorite movie in the cinema and Disney Germany provided her with a special bed with a DVD player and screen as well as several Elsa products. In this way, it can be inferred that the company is always ready to support its audience and it helps gain more followers to join its charity organizations. 

Disney’s Marketing Strategy: Customer Loyalty through Nostalgia

Since it was first founded in the 1920s, Disney has been increasing the number of its audience all around the world by creating an emotional impression on them.

To use this impression as a digital marketing strategy, Disney shares old content long after its first release. To maintain customer loyalty, Disney revived old classics such as Aladdin, The Lion King, and The Jungle Book. 

While remaking the old content, Disney uses the power of nostalgia in a well-planned and effective way. As an example,  Disney’s movie makers worked hard on the new version to remake the Lion King with the same characters and story.

Its trailer was also similar to the previous version as another Disney ads and marketing strategy. The new version of The Lion King grossed more than 1.5 billion dollars when it was released in 2019.

A great number of parents took their children to the cinema to show them their favorite movie when they were the same age. So, it can be concluded that Disney’s marketing strategy through the power of nostalgia worked well. 

If you’re looking to create an impactful digital marketing strategy inspired by Disney’s success, you can get in touch with the top digital marketing agencies in our elaborate selection. Also, media and entertainment marketing agencies can help you boost your brand’s digital presence!