Appearances in K-pop videos, preparing chimichangas with famous chefs… Movie stars like Ryan Reynolds are conducting increasingly offbeat promotional operations to attract the attention of teenagers and young adults to Disney productions, says the group’s marketing chief.
The Hollywood studio giant is enjoying a blockbuster summer with the irreverent superhero film « Deadpool & Wolverine » which is expected to surpass $1 billion at the global box office this weekend.
Asad Ayaz, the brand’s chief executive, credits much of the runaway success to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. The two stars are pushing the boundaries of traditional marketing, he said Saturday at Disney’s D23 convention.
They appeared, in the skin of their characters, in the music video for « Chk Chk Book »a song by Korean pop group Stray Kids, and participated in a YouTube cooking competition with Gordon Ramsay and his 22-year-old daughter.
During their world promotional tour, they also stopped by a football match in Germany, a « Chicken Shop » (fast food) in London for a comedy series, and got wet at a water balloon festival.
“We are very lucky to have actors who are willing to do things that actors don’t usually want to do, like playing their character.”Asad Ayaz told AFP.
Smartphone generation
Generation Z, which is roughly between the ages of 12 and 27, is particularly difficult for Hollywood and studios to reach.
But the unusual appearances are more likely to be seen by younger viewers, who pay the most attention to their smartphones, social media and YouTube influencers, Ayaz said.
The emphasis is therefore on creating unusual content that spreads quickly online.
An iconic popcorn bucket from the film, supposedly “designed” by the character Deadpool played by Ryan Reynolds, has thus managed to cause a sensation around the world.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman also filmed a message before the film, in which they advised viewers to turn off their cell phones, in the shoes of their scathingly humorous superhero characters.
“Put your phone on silent”growls Jackman’s aggressive Wolverine in a video that has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube.
“This is an example of our ability to produce unique content with Ryan and Hugh… in costume.”stressed Mr. Ayaz.
Real Barbie House
« Deadpool et Wolverine » lent itself particularly well to this original approach, as the character of Deadpool addresses the audience directly several times during the film.
The sharp-tongued hero frequently pokes fun at the American group Disney and even makes jokes about the ” rescue “ of the Marvel superhero franchise, which has had a relatively lackluster few years.
Disney doesn’t have a monopoly on this marketing method. Last year, rival studio Warner built a veritable « Malibu DreamHouse » (Dream House in Malibu) to promote « Barbie »which became a hit after being put up for rent on Airbnb.
Another recent big hit from Disney, the animated film « Inside Out 2 »addresses issues such as anxiety and depression, which are frequently discussed by Generation Z online.
Experts were concerned that many viewers would illegally film clips in theaters to post on social media, but Disney made custom clips available directly to TikTok and YouTube creators to create content about the film.
“Young audiences have very different media consumption” than that of older generations, Ayaz said. “It is essential to ensure that we are present on the platforms where Generation Z spends the most time”.
