S O C I A L M E D I A M O N I T O R I N G

W A LT D I S N E Y A N I M A T I O N S T U D I O S

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E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

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Marketing is now synonymous with relationship building. And how we create and bolster these connections is heavily rooted in our social media platforms. In our technology-driven society, brands cannot survive without being active on social media. In this presentation, I will be monitoring and expanding on how Walt Disney Animation Studios uses social media to their advantage, and what they can do to improve their techniques and posting patterns.

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The brand’s official website left out a link to its Tumblr blog

S TAY C O N N E C T E DFA C E B O O K

Walt Disney Animation Studios uses Facebook to share photos and videos related to their previously released/upcoming films. They also use the comment function as a way to open conversations with Disney fans and to foster a familiar consumer-brand relationship. Additionally, the brand shares links

from other websites in order to self-promote and to update fans on Disney film-related news.

From left to right: Walt Disney Animation Studios reaches out to fans; photos from the official Facebook page; post about an upcoming film

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R E A D A L L A B O U T I TT W I T T E R

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ official Twitter is similar to their Facebook page, in that it is used primarily to promote previously released/upcoming films through photos, videos, and links. However, more fan acknowledgement is evident. While there are duplicate posts, the brand marketers are careful to adjust the wordings of the posts, so as to minimize redundancy. Furthermore, they do a great job of maintaining the brand voice in all their posts. This keeps all the posts consistent and engaging.

Above: photos from the official Twitter profile

Above: link to behind the scenes video

From top to bottom: upcoming film announcement; Big Hero 6 DVD promotion

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D O Y O U W A N N A B U I L D A B L O G P O S T ?

T U M B L R

In comparison to the content on the company’s other social media platforms, the content found on the official Walt Disney Animation Studios Tumblr is very much original. There are very few duplicates. Also, because Tumblr is a heavily visual social media platform, Disney posts a huge assortment of photos from the early stages of film development, thus giving Disney fanatics a behind the scenes look into the brand. Lastly, the brand engages with and recognizes fans by launching art competitions, in which Disney selects and reposts original artwork submitted by Disney aficionados.

Above: Fan-submitted artwork From top to bottom: original Big Hero 6 artwork

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S E E I T T O B E L I E V E I TY O U T U B E

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ official YouTube channel offers a wide variety of videos that are helpful to a broad spectrum of consumers. For example, there are videos geared toward prospective employees, those with a yearnin’ for some learnin’ about character or film development, and Disney fanatics who just wish to browse clips from their favorite films! This is a great example of fulfilling the wants and needs of specific target markets while maintaining entertainment value. Like the other social media platforms, YouTube allows Disney to strengthen its relationship with its fans by providing them with the inside scoop on their brand.

All images: original video clips from the official Walt Disney Animation Studios YouTube channel

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I T H I N K I ’ M S E E I N G D O U B L E

D U P L I C A T E S

Although Walt Disney Animation Studios posts duplicative content across their social media platforms, they are careful to avoid redundancy. To prevent boring, repetitive posts, Disney tweaks their content descriptions, while maintaining a consistent voice that is representative of the brand.

From top to bottom: Frozen 2 announcement from the official Facebook page; Frozen 2 announcement from the official Twitter profile

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D O E S S L O W A N D S T E A D Y R E A L LY W I N T H E R A C E ?

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“ W E ’ R E L AT E ! ”It is understandable that Walt Disney Animation Studios runs out of content to post when their film hype dies down. However, letting a week pass without posting anything is a bit iffy. I think a simple check-in with fans would be beneficial to their consumer-brand friendship. Perhaps they could utilize this time to respond to tweets and Facebook messages.

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F R I E N D S P I R AT I O N

On their social media, Walt Disney Animation Studios makes it clear that they are more than just a brand — they are a loyal friend. They post inspiring photos

and quotes from their films in an attempt to connect with their fans on a below-the-surface, emotional level. This sincerity, although a marketing tactic,

is what makes consumers proud to be investors in the Disney brand.

From left to right: virtual E-card from Walt Disney Animation Studios to fans; words of encouragement from Walt Disney Animation Studios

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C A L L T O A C T I O N

• Sales • Promotions • Friendships Although Disney’s primary goal, like every other corporation, is to generate revenue, they are cautious about letting consumers in on this. They strategically mask their desire for money with an overwhelming sense of loyalty to their fans. However, this is not to say that those working for Disney are deceptive. Rather, there is a standard to uphold to achieve success.

All images: promotional posts to encourage product purchases

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F U N , F U N , F U N , F U N , F U N !Walt Disney Animation Studios’ social media platforms all offer fun and clever features that captivate fans, while simultaneously promoting their films and products. With the increasing popularity of Big Hero 6 and Frozen, Disney has shared a wide variety of content related to these films, ranging anywhere from DIY to silly music videos. It is effective that Disney incorporates references to technology into their content (and even into their Twitter) handle to appeal to our technological culture. From top to bottom: official Twitter

handle; Baymax DIY ornamentFrom top to bottom: link to Big Hero 6

Creators Lab on the official Tumblr blog; Frozen as told by emojis video

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E F F E C T I V E E N G A G E M E N T S

Walt Disney Animation Studios does a great job of providing fans with opportunities to engage in open discussions about the brand and its products. In their posts, Disney seems to genuinely care about their consumers’ feedback, which prompts fans to comment on the content they view. In turn, Disney will occasionally retweet fans’ responses to new films, social media content, and more. Disney’s authenticity and desire to connect with fans is what keeps the consumer-brand relationship alive and well.

From top to bottom: virtual E-card from Walt Disney Animation Studios to fans; tweet from a Disney fan; Walt Disney Animation Studios reaches out to fans

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D I S C U S S I O N D O W N FA L L S

While Disney opens discussions for fans to engage in, they do not typically continue these conversations. Fans are able to answer open-ended questions, but typically receive no response. Occasionally, Disney will retweet fans (as mentioned previously), but this is rather passive and can be easily misconstrued as lazy. Furthermore, personalized responses are extremely rare across all platforms. On Twitter specifically, Disney is frugal with their retweets and favorites, which are seemingly reserved for celebrities, other branches of Disney, or those who belong to the Walt Disney Animation Studios team.

From top to bottom right: tweet from a Walt Disney Animation Studios team member; tweet from a Walt Disney Animation Studios team member; tweet from the official Jimmy Kimmel Twitter profile; number of Walt Disney Animation Studios Twitter favorites

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PA R T Y P O O P E R SN E G A T I V E C O M M E N T S

One would imagine that every brand, no matter how reputable and respected, faces negative feedback from the “Scars” of the social media world. However, after scrolling through page after page of comments on the Walt Disney Animation Studios social media platforms, I can easily say that this branch of Disney does not face much negative criticism and hate mail online. If it did, however, I am positive the situations would be handled with maturity and empathy.

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I S C R AT C H Y O U R B A C K , Y O U S C R AT C H M I N EWalt Disney Animation Studios empowers pre-existing websites by sharing links that redirect consumers to said sites. For example, they often repost links to official Disney blogs, such as Disney Insider. By doing so, they are giving Disney Insider exposure in exchange for film publicity. This creates a symbiotic relationship between the two distinct branches of Disney. Walt Disney Animation Studios does not seem to promote their own website on their social media platforms, presumably because their website is aimed more toward prospective employees, rather than those who seek entertainment value.

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G I V E A L I T T L E W H I S T L EPA R T I C I PA T I O N

Disney often encourages fans to participate in their various social media communities for two reasons: to increase fan familiarity with the brand and to boost product popularity. While most of these attempts to increase fan activity are free from incentives, Disney will occasionally host

giveaways for those who share their content. This is a successful technique, due to the Big Idea that people are narcissists — they will do something if they receive something in return.

From left to right: Big Hero 6 sweepstakes offered on the official Twitter profile; Big Hero 6 clip to celebrate National Hug Day and to encourage shares

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W H O O O O O ? While Walt Disney Animation Studios’ products appeal to a wide range of people, their social media is more specifically geared towards young adults, teenagers with access to the Internet, older Disney fanatics, and parents. While younger children are drawn to Disney and their products, it is unlikely that they have the means to access official Disney social media, the funds to personally invest in Disney products, and the ability to comprehend social media. However, it is probable that children and their guardians use YouTube together to watch and rewatch their favorite film clips.

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T I C K T O C KMost posts are made midday, when many people (both young and old) are on their lunch breaks. Posts are also made early in the evening, when people are coming home to relax after a long day of school or work. This clever timing is what keeps the brand noticeable. If posts were made during the typical work or school day, it is unlikely that Disney would garner the same visibility.

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H O W W O U L D Y O U R AT E Y O U R E X P E R I E N C E ?

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C O N C L U S I O N

In comparison to social media platforms operated by other branches of The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney Animation Studios could improve on their posting frequency. By allowing

days to pass without reaching out to fans, updating followers on news, and engaging

in dialogue, they suffer a minor loss in credibility and reliability. Furthermore, more fan interactions

would increase their perceived trustworthiness.

Overall, Walt Disney Animation Studios demonstrates an astounding grasp of

social media, and how to operate social media platforms to best suit the wants

and needs of their consumers. They incorporate content into their social media sites that is both entertaining

and informational, something that many businesses struggle to do.

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