2019 Silver Best Use of Search

Agency Partner: Google

Client: The Walt Disney Company EMEA

Campaign Name: Marvel Consumer Journey - Building a Better Understanding of Consumer Behaviour

Campaign Overview

Disney knows films mean more than a cinema visit for fans.

It wanted to define key moments to communicate with them throughout the movie lifecycle.

Strategy

Disney’s movies sit at the heart of its storytelling prowess.

From the excitement of a trailer release through to TV re-reuns, each stage represents an opportunity to communicate with fans.

The brand needed to better understand commercial opportunities at these touchpoints and unify them into a consumer journey.

It partnered with Google to get the full picture.

Using Big Query, Disney unified data sets from a broad range of sources, including its store and external retailers; cinema and home entertainment sales; TV ratings; and search.

The result was one of the most detailed pictures of consumer behaviour around movies and merchandising.

Future Marvel franchises will benefit from Disney’s learnings.

Creativity

Disney identified Google’s Big Query as the best method to fill gaps that the brand’s own data didn’t cover.

It was quickly discovered that comms opportunities exist from the moment a trailer drops.

There are then plenty of chances to engage viewers in cinemas and at home.

Plotting the key moments along a timeline helped Disney identify data to crunch and visualise customer journeys.

Joining very different, previously unknown data sources proved a very creative way of understanding the audience in full.

Results

Actionable insights were gained for future releases within the Marvel franchise, a model which can also be used for Disney franchises.

Another immediate outcome was a tactical search campaign that delivered 175% ROI in two weeks.

Insight is now improving marketing effectiveness across EMEA.

Breaking the mould of established behaviours will help Disney adapt to changing consumer habits and reach them at the right time.

The Team

Sula Martins, Search and Performance Manager, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Tony Miller VP, Digital Marketing & CRM, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Sharon Braude Director, Digital Marketing, Search & Social, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Dan Williams, Performance Marketing and Search Manager, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Jenny Turner, Senior Digital Marketing Manager, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Aimee Buxton, Digital Marketing Supervisor, The Walt Disney Company, EMEA - Blair Kerrison, Industry Manager, Google - Tricia Fakira, Industry Manager, Google