Igniting the Passion : A look inside the success of Disney's latest viral campaign

By Patti Minglin

Duncan Wardle, VP of Global PR for Disney Parks, is a man pressed for time. And he’s not alone. More and more consumers are tuning out traditional advertising channels such as TV commercials and radio spots and choosing which brands they want to see. “Everyone is talking about consumers controlling your brand,” says Wardle. “Consumers have always controlled your brand, they are now able to also control the message.” This fact makes a lot of marketers nervous, but for the folks at Disney it is just part of the adventure.

From giving Disney fans the opportunity to apply for their Disney Dream Jobs (princess or pirate, anyone?) to creating the Disney Moms Panel where park visitors can ask real questions to real moms (and get real, authentic answers), Disney is on a mission to fully engage their consumers in everything they do. Wardle anticipates there will come a day when consumers will be involved in every aspect of the business—from planning park menus to choosing which merchandise they should be selling.

Their latest consumer engagement initiative? Creating a viral campaign that links email recipients to a customized video of a personal celebration at the Magic Kingdom. “It’s an extension of our ‘What Will You Celebrate’ campaign which will be hosting in 2009,” says Wardle. “The campaign encourages individuals to come and celebrate their special milestones at our parks and anyone visiting any Disney Park in the U.S. in 2009 will get in absolutely free on their birthday.”

The video is as magical as the parks themselves. In the video, the email recipient’s name is digitally placed on everything from parade banners and trolley signs to names of rides and special park entrances making it look as though the entire park has been dedicated to that person for one special day (check out my personalized version by clicking here).  At the end of the video, recipients are invited to forward the link—with a personalized message—to their family and friends. Except for sending out emails to their own employees, friends and family members, Disney has put no additional PR or marketing muscle behind the campaign. Results? After just one week, they have been overwhelmed with the traffic the emails have generated. “I’ve sent turkeys to the White House and put Buzz Lightyear in space, but I’ve never seen a response like this,” says Wardle. “People are passionate about their Disney experiences and being able to capture that passion—and have them share it with others—is an amazing marketing tool.”

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