Amplifying authentic experiences to inspire new guests
Project summary
Disney delivers magic in everything. A Disney Cruise is no different.
While fans have fallen in love with iconic characters, Parks and events, Disney Cruise Line is still a hidden gem for many. But, despite more European departures than ever, not enough UK guests were booking.
How could we introduce them to the irresistable magic?
By harnessing the enthusiasm of true experts – fans who’ve experienced it for themselves.
Introducing our interactive Ocean of Inspiration, where potential guests can immerse themselves in authentic memories, once-in-a-lifetime moments, and first-hand recommendations, shared directly by previous guests.
Our launch email asking for those magical memories showed the power of our fans – delivering nearly 500 individual memories that bring the Disney cruise experience to life in a way no ad ever could.
The content proved to be more effective than other media channels in driving traffic to the Disney Cruise Line site. Not only did a whopping 33% of visitors click through, but bringing UGC into our digital ecosystem for the first time gave us opportunities across the full marketing mix.
Incremental revenue has already delivered a staggering 51:1 ROI – and, with the site active, the campaign is sailing to greater horizons.
Campaign in Detail
Strategy
A Disney Cruise is all about unparalleled magic and indescribable experiences.
An increase in departures from Europe meant we had more cabins than ever for potential guests to experience the magic – but not enough UK guests were booking. We needed to find an authentic way to connect with potential fans.
But we didn’t want to simply tell them – we wanted them to feel it. How could we inspire them?
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that past guests love Disney Cruises. In fact, they’re already raving about us to their loved ones. So, we set out to amplify their voices. Nobody can sell a Disney Cruise like a Disney guest.
We used engaging email comms to invite previous guests to relive their magical moments and share them with us. As well as getting a chance to have their content featured, we added a fan-friendly prize to entice them.
Then, we showcased the memories, insider knowledge, photos, and videos on our Ocean of Inspiration.
Looking through their phone galleries, and exploring the site to spot their own submission, reignited all those wonderful memories, inspiring those guests anew.
Then we invited potential guests to feel the magic through these authentic experiences, getting the inside scoop from people they could trust. People just like them. We gave each visitor an insight into the magic they could expect to find onboard, delivered by our delighted guests.
What’s more, we’d gathered user content that could add a sprinkle of authentic magic to other channels.
Creative approach
We crafted an Ocean of Inspiration – an interactive microsite filled with hundreds of explorable stories, pictures, and videos provided by our guests.
Heading the page, a montage of Disney Cruise images overlaying the iconic Captain Mickey, hinting at the content to be discovered below.
Each submission became an inspiration card, featuring a beautiful image or video, along with happy memories or advice from the guest. Flipping a card reveals links to learn more about the ships and destinations.
As the page filled, we invited prospective guests to visit and immerse themselves in the content, to be inspired by real experiences and magical memories that showed the incredible experiences to be had onboard.
Every family is different. So, to help our visitors find the content they’d most enjoy, each memory is categorised, sharing all the different touches that make a Disney Cruise uniquely wonderful.
Visitors can scroll through everything or choose a specific topic to find their personal magic. Whether it was delighting in Character appearances, taking part in live entertainment, or savouring delectable dishes, every story painted a vivid picture of the unique Disney cruise experience.
We then amplified this wonderful guest-generated content through targeted emails, featuring snapshots from the site to engage and delight our audience.
Every card, every memory, and all the joy they captured, came together to turn dreams into plans, proving that the most magical experiences are best shared by those who know them first-hand.
