Walt Disney Co.’s new marketing campaign encourages fans to tap into their “Disney Side” and visit the local theme park—with or without the little ones.
“It’s about bringing out the kid in everybody,” said Leslie Ferraro, executive vice president of global marketing and sales for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, during a campaign kickoff this month at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim. “It’s about giving adults permission to let their inner kid out, to let their Disney side out. But it’s also about parents and kids coming here together. It goes across all ages, all life stages, and that’s what makes this campaign so great.”
The marketing strategy is based on research that indicates “guests and consumers really want to have fun, and they feel like Disney park is a place [where they can] get on the same level with their kids,” Ferraro said, adding that “in today’s rushed world, where we all have so many commitments, people don’t have time to just relax and have fun with their kids and just play with them. And they need a place and … permission to do that.”
Disney’s in-house marketing team worked with mcgarrybowen, its New York-based advertising agency of record, to produce the yearlong campaign.
Its primary focus will be promotion of domestic theme parks, including Walt Disney World in Florida.
Ferraro declined to discuss the marketing and media buying budget for the theme parks division, but according to Kantar Media, the division spent $179.7 million in 2012 and $121.6 million in the first half of this year, up 11% from the same period last year.
The Disney Side message is spread across a full mix of media, from traditional TV spots to print ads and online engagement.
The company also is relying on 23 social media personalities who collectively have 30 million fans, including Grumpy Cat and Ridiculously Photogenic Guy, to show their Disney Side and organically spread the marketing message.
“We continually try to look for new ways to engage our audiences,” Ferraro said, “and bring them in and let them share in our campaigns.”
A “Song” of a Promotion
Hyundai Motor America Inc. in Costa Mesa has kicked off another component of its multiyear partnership with The Recording Academy in Santa Monica as the “Official Vehicle Partner” of the Grammy Awards.
The car manufacturer is sponsoring the Amplifier Center Stage online platform, which will enable emerging musicians to share their songs via SoundCloud for a chance to have their music vetted by a panel of music icons.
“Hyundai’s partnership with The Recording Academy ties music’s biggest brand with Hyundai’s passion for creativity and innovation,” Steve Shannon, Hyundai’s vice president of marketing, said in a news release. “We look forward to continuing our successful relationship with the Amplifier Center Stage program, which celebrates the next generation of musical talent and connects with an audience with a shared love of musical innovation.”
The curators will select the top eight contenders based on the quality of their performance and their “amplification” or the amount of shares or likes they receive from their online fans, according to the news release.
An Amplifier Center Stage ambassador—to be announced in December—will select the final three winners on Jan. 23. The prize packages include a recording session and professionally produced track with a Grammy-winning producer; production of a music video with a noted producer and/or director; or a key live performance slot on a major tour and/or festival.
Kia Relaunches Site
Irvine-based Kia Motors America Inc. said in a news release that it relaunched its website, Kia.com, offering a “premium experience across tablet, mobile and desktop devices.” Kia noted that the revamp, done in partnership with Publicis Groupe’s Denuo, includes changes such as deeper-quality images and the capability to demonstrate vehicle features, among other changes. Denuo is Kia’s digital agency of record. The carmaker was the presenting sponsor of the first-ever YouTube Music Awards, held on Nov. 3, which critics labeled as “one hot mess.”
