Inside Out $1 Billion Strategy

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This week, I’ve brought you a ✨special edition✨

Have you watched Inside Out 2 yet?

If not, you’ve definitely heard of it.

Their marketing is a chef’s kiss 🤌

Today, I’m breaking down their strategy just for you.

Plus, check out some fresh industry updates!

(P.S. Google and Meta struck a SECRET deal 🤫)

Let’s roll!

⏰ Estimated read time: 3 minutes or less

📊 Did you know?

Nano influencers (< 10K followers) deliver over $1,000 in return on a $50 investment.

(Harvard Business Review, 2024)

🎬 Inside Out $1 Billion Strategy

Remember Disney’s Inside Out from 2015?

It earned $90.4M in its opening weekend and won an Oscar.

Fast forward to 2024, and Inside Out 2 is breaking records, hitting $1 billion globally.

But how did they pull off this blockbuster success?

Prepare your pens to take notes ✍️

Because Disney nailed it with an epic strategy.

COVID-19 changed the way we watch movies.

As Disney’s VP of Marketing, Martha Morrison, said, “You have to hit people three times harder with your message than before.”

So, the key was clear: create a MUST-SEE event.

How?

I’ve studied it, analyzed it, and done the research for you

Now, you can copy and apply some of their strategies to your business.

Here’s the strategy that made Inside Out 2 the biggest hit of the year:

1️⃣ Epic brand collabs

First, it’s all about understanding who the audience is.

❌ You can’t build a successful strategy by shooting in the dark.

So, who’s the target audience for Inside Out 2?

→ Gen Z and moms.

Now, how can we make additional revenue…

+ steal an established audience?

👉 BRAND PARTNERSHIPS

So, Disney went all out with 65+ international partners, including:

• Uber & Owala: They teamed up to create the “Emotional Support” bottle, available exclusively on Uber Eats. Plus, Uber Teen offered a discount with an Inside Out promo code.

• Airbnb: They went big with a one-of-a-kind experience—recreating the emotions' headquarters where fans could spend the night!

• Bubble Skincare: This Gen Z favourite launched an exclusive Inside Out 2 collection.

💡 Lesson to learn: EXPERIENCES

Marketing can also be a way to generate additional revenue channels while promoting your main product.

Think about events, courses, co-product development, etc.

Now - how can we push those products?

2️⃣ Influencer Power

Disney and Pixar tapped into influencer magic.

Influencers were everywhere, amplifying the buzz about these collabs.

From nano-influencers

To macro profiles.

And Airbnb’s custom Inside Out 2 headquarters was a hit!

It generated massive social engagement.

And the Airbnb listing page?

It was viewed by over 915M visitors!

💡 Lesson to learn: Use influencers to bring visibility to specific EXPERIENCES

3️⃣ Influencer Gifting

To celebrate the movie’s release,

(And ofc, spread the word)

Disney Books also sent out exclusive gift packages to influencers.

But this time, focusing on the main product.

The Movie.

And all of that is pre-release ofc.

4️⃣ Trend Creation

Don’t follow trends — create them.

Disney listened and acted.

On platforms like TikTok and X, users engaged in conversations about which pop culture characters would fit in an Inside Out movie.

This sparked organic buzz and kept the film at the top of everyone’s minds.

Disney took the best of both worlds.

I’m talking digital and real-life 😉

They made sure Inside Out 2 was EVERYWHERE.

“And that’s why partnerships are crucial” said Morrison.

“If you open Uber and see “Inside Out’s coming,” catch an ad on social media, and then spot Amy Poehler’s TikTok post, you’ll feel like you’re surrounded by the conversation and afraid to miss out”

FOMO - that was their whole selling point.

Looking back at 2015,

Disney also created a HUGE buzz around Inside Out.

It was all about influencer power.

Pixar invited a mix of bloggers, YouTube stars, and podcasters for a behind-the-scenes preview before the film’s debut.

And there you have it — the blueprint for turning a movie into a must-see phenomenon.

To recap:

Now, how about turning your brand into a social media phenomenon?

🎁 Book a strategy session with me today

And I’ll help you build a robust and sustainable creator program for your brand.

I’m speaking about getting +300 monthly creator mentions from influencers, affiliates, celebrities etc.

Ready? → Don’t miss it! Link here.

📰 Social Snapshot