Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust: How ‘Disney 100’ is Captivating Fans Worldwide
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If you’ve been scrolling through your TikTok over the past fortnight, you’ve likely noticed traces of pixie dust scattered throughout your FYP, as Disney enthusiasts dust off their Mickey ears to celebrate ‘Disney 100’. Last month, Disney launched a major partnership with TikTok to unveil a first-of-its-kind virtual activation, celebrating its 100th birthday. What originally started as a hugely popular physical activation with kid’s collector cards at Woolworth’s has now transformed into a big kid’s social media campaign, covering the wide spectrum of Disney fans. The campaign has been a hit, and as a self-confessed Disney adult myself, I have to say my attention’s been piqued. Let’s take a closer look.
What is Disney 100?
‘Disney 100 x TikTok’ is an exclusive destination on the platform where fans can interact with Disney’s 48 TikTok handles and connect with like-minded enthusiasts worldwide. The platform fosters engagement and content creation, offering incentives like virtual trading cards, exclusive profile frames, daily quizzes, and more. Forget Tinder, October is for swiping for Disney cards.
This collaboration is the first of its kind for TikTok, and introducing such a concept using Disney’s plethora of content is no small feat. With a century of content to draw from, it’s a natural choice to release exclusive content on the platform, generating engagement and awareness that is mutually beneficial for the brands.
“The Walt Disney Company has an incredible legacy of bringing joy and excitement to a global community through its iconic films and TV series, heartwarming characters, thrilling parks and memorable brands. We’re thrilled to partner with Disney to celebrate the company’s undeniable impact on entertainment and on families around the world, starting by giving TikTok’s passionate community of Disney fans unique access to content and experiences they can’t find anywhere else. ”
Nicole Iacopetti, TikTok global head of content
Why TikTok?
Disney doesn’t do things by halves; they understand their audience and know where they spend their time. Disney could have easily created a standalone platform for this concept, but embedding their brand into an existing platform with over 1 billion users is a more seamless approach. The key here is that Disney fans are already using TikTok organically, so it’s not a stretch to capture their attention on a platform they already know and understand.
The Power of TikTok sounds
If you’re a TikTok native, you’ll understand the influence of a trending sound and its remarkable ability to gain traction seemingly overnight. Incorporating well-known sounds from their database of Movies and TV shows as incentives has also played a pivotal role in the success of the activation. In certain instances, participants have even gone to the extent of sharing blank screens, all in pursuit for more chances to flip some trading cards.
@hirotheteacup Gotta collect them all #disney100 ♬ This Wish – From “Wish” – Ariana DeBose & Disney
Who cares about virtual collectibles anymore?
At this point, you might be wondering why virtual trading cards or filters are garnering such success. The key lies in the element of chance; people love the thrill of flipping Disney 100 cards and discovering their favourite characters or adding a Woody hat to their profile. This simple, fun in-app game has boosted community spirit. Even audiences with no prior interest in Disney are flocking to the page out of sheer curiosity.
@user37299192838488291pls i have an iron man woody or darth vader available for trade♬ This Wish – From “Wish” – Ariana DeBose & Disney
It’s also worth noting that there are no tangible or monetary prizes offered in this activation. With such a loyal Disney audience, the brand relies on its passion alone to generate awareness and active participation, and there’s no denying it’s working for them.
These elements, combined with calls to action like creating content, taking quizzes, or simply watching Disney content for more cards, have led to a surge of User-Generated Content (UGC) throughout the platform. So, whether you’re a Disney enthusiast like me or not (boo!), October on TikTok will and has been dominated by this fanbase, organically generating engagement and spreading awareness of 100 years of Disney.
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