Broadening fans’ horizons with more to love
What was the brief?
Disney has captivated our hearts for decades, making it the brand perhaps most synonymous with the term ‘fandom’.
Yet despite this enduring affinity, and a fanbase that’s bigger than ever, we spotted a problem.
Our data showed that fans were becoming siloed – only engaging with one product, show, or holiday – and not exploring what else Disney had to offer. And that meant their average customer value was dropping, too.
What was the strategy?
To solve this, we adapted our strategy from a primarily campaign-led approach to a new mission: creating long-term Disney fans through our Fanbase Builder programme.
We analysed our high-value fans, identified their reasons for loving the brand, and used data science techniques to create a ‘next best category’ segmentation for our remaining audience.
What was the campaign solution?
We targeted our audience with immersive, holistic campaigns, where best-in-class creative exposed fans to more areas of The Walt Disney Company that we knew they’d love. We created a more personalised and enriching experience, reinforcing the Disney magic in the lives of our fans.
What were the results?
A 19% increase in customers making purchases in any Disney category and a massive 69% increase in fans purchasing across multiple categories.
We also saw a 297% increase in engagement (CTR). And, to top it all, a whopping 160% increase in incremental revenue from the programme, compared to the previous year.
Campaign in Detail
Strategy
“Disney” and “fans”: two words that have always been synonymous. The enduring magic of the brand creates affinity that others can only dream of.
But with the mass of entertainment options available in a ferociously competitive environment, analysis of our customer data identified a problem: customers weren’t engaging with Disney as a whole, but instead just one product, show or holiday. And average customer value was dropping as a result.
Our strategy was a big bet: to adapt our eCRM programme from a predominantly campaign-led approach to one that incorporated a focus on creating long-term Disney fans.
This was all anchored in data. A high-value fan’s relationship with Disney is both rational and emotional. We analysed their purchase behaviour in different categories, and used insight on their engagement with different Disney characters, franchises and content.Leveraging this huge array of data points – built up over time and at an individual customer level – we applied data science techniques to create a “next best category” segmentation.
This enabled us to build personalised, multi-step journeys that guided customers through the Disney universe, connecting them to the product, show or holiday they would be most likely to enjoy next, and nudging them towards purchase.
Through testing, optimisation and audience refinement, this year-long strategy allowed us to continually evolve the programme. More data, more insights, better segmentation – all leading to more Disney fans.
Solution
Our Fanbase Builder programme maintained Disney’s signature charm, using compelling creative to expose fans to all areas of our business.
Our ‘next best category’ segmentation identified what a fan was most likely to fall in love with next, and our emails delivered a dazzling combination of fun interactive content and more direct conversion opportunities across different categories.
Thematic emails satisfied fans’ enthusiasm for iconic franchises and characters with immersive content supported by regular, bite-sized purchase opportunities. From Films to Parks, Music, merchandise, Disney Cruise Line, Live Shows and more, our emails introduced fans to a world of new ways to engage with the brand.
Take a new movie release – our emails not only promoted the cinema tickets on sale, they also showcased the related merchandise, rides in our Parks, the film music playlist, and more. All presented in a way that draws from the movie’s own visual identity.
Our creative ensured that the wonder of Disney storytelling didn’t end with our films or Parks. It continued in our emails, sprinkling magic throughout.
Rich interactivity enhanced customer engagement and delivered a real sense of Disney’s innovative experiences, whether the content was inspirational or commercial. The creative impressed guests from start to finish, with copy written using bespoke tone of voice, and engaging animations and design elements to build that connection and evoke emotions.
And, as customers engaged with this content, we gathered more data about their preferences and interests, powering the continual optimisation of our Fanbase Builder strategy.