With its new movie, The Force Awakens, set the release on December 18, Disney has done everything it can to bring attention to Star Wars. From trailers to video games, the company has made its mark on many media outlets over the past year and the strategy is definitely working–ticket presale sold out in record time back in October.
In contrast to other movies then, what makes this particular movie so special and what can marketers learn from Disney’s approach?
First off, it is important to remember the cult following that Star Wars has. Since the release of the first movie in 1977, LucasFilms has been able to keep up to date with new markets outside of its initial following by releasing both new and updated versions of its universe. As a result then, in order to start generating buzz, it is important for marketers to create a community first and time content perfectly; just like Star Wars has done over the past 40 years.
That said, the most interesting point to Star Wars’ marketing plan is its keen take on privacy. In order to prevent spoilers, Disney has done everything it can to prevent information from being leaked. This includes not applying to be eligible for Oscar nominations so that the company did not have to provide any early screenings.
Yet, as things more information has been released, information has been “leaked” to the public over the past few months and people have been flocking to read about it. Given the emphasis on privacy though, these leaks are do not seem to be out of coincidence–rather they are “planted” as Susan Solovic wrote on Entreprenuer.
As a result, marketers now can look to the Star Wars marketing strategy to help their own companies grow. This includes timing content perfectly in an effort to create anticipation for an upcoming event.
