DISNEY PARKS BRIEF
For: Disney Parks, Experiences, and ProductsTHE CLIENT:
Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products (DPEP) is the branch of Disney responsible for all Disney Parks (Anaheim CA, Orlando FL, Paris, Shanghai, etc) as well as their cruise line.
THE ASK:
Disney’s history is tainted with racism. They’ve made strides to be more inclusive with more diverse casting and characters but there’s still a long way to go. This is reflected in relatively low Black attendance within the parks.
Disney asked us to create a creative concept and campaign idea to help connect with Black families and encourage them to visit Disney parks.
*Note that our scope was confined to Disney parks marketing, meaning we could not recommend new characters, price changes, or activations within the parks themselves.
THE RESEARCH:
Methods:
- Infiltrated the community by joining the Black Disney Moms Facebook group (I’m not a mom, but they don’t know that).
- Studied previous Disney campaigns that targeted Black consumers or were just really good at showing Disney off.
- Reviewed ads by competitors like Universal Studios.
- Browsed articles and videos by #BlackDisneyAdults.
- Viewed reports about Black consumers, Disney, and the theme park industry (McKinsey, Nielsen, Mintel, Pew Research,9 etc).
Major Findings:
01. Storytelling is something both Black people and Disney are known for. Disney is built on storytelling, and Black people have their own long and unique history with storytelling, down to the way they tell stories.
02. Representation is nothing without authenticity. Although the number of Black people shown in media is increasing, the range is lagging. A great way to reflect care and attention to Black audiences is to showcase different types of people, from mundane to unusual.
03. Disney is getting better, but the Disney community is stuck in the past. Even as Disney dedicates more movies and rides to Black characters, many Disney fans are not supportive of them. This creates an unwelcoming atmosphere and the sense that Black people are being locked-out of their own stories.
THE INSIGHT:
DPEP has historically referenced magic and memories in their branding, so what if instead of focusing on memories, we think about how our sweetest memories become our best stories?
Tagline:
Stories start at Disney.
Let’s remind Black people that when they come to the parks and immerse themselves in the magic, they leave with a dozen and one stories. Stories that are filled with Disney’s charm, yet independent from bitter Disney gatekeepers. There’s no need to wait for a main character that looks like you when you are the main character.
THE EXECUTION:
Ads that take real Black Disney goers, and visualize them as characters in a storybook.