How the $100M Promotion Affiliate Campaign Led ‘Wakanda Forever’ to a Record Opening of $181M in November

The fruits of Disney’s industry-reported $100 million affiliate campaign Black Panther: Wakanda Forever not only in a record US/Canada November opening of $181.3 million and 12.7 million visitors, but also across a wide range of demographics, including Black, Latino/Hispanic and older women over the weekend to flock to attracting the cinemas.

The media value for the sequel’s promo partners is double what I hear about the first one Black Panther and the same value as in the previous year eternal.

Wakanda forever drew a 43% black audience and 22% Latino and Hispanic audiences, according to PostTrak, a combined 65% more than the respective demos of the first film in 2018, which had an attendance of 58%. Even more surprising was that women over 25 made up the largest audience this time Wakanda forever at 32%, giving the Ryan Coogler-directed sequel its highest rating at 97%.

Given the female independence and STEM themes in the MCU title, Disney’s Global Partnership Marketing and Strategy Group went straight to these demos and more with a number of top advertisers including Lexus, Adidas, Target, Procter & Gamble, Mastercard, Mac Cosmetics, the NBA, McDonald’s, Xbox and Sprite Zero; These brands are a mix of returning and new partners for the Mouse House.

The anomaly in this advertising partner campaign is the connection between Lexus and Adidas. Rarely, if ever, do two advertising partners team up for an ad dubbed after a major tentpole motion picture. Traditionally, major brands have their own tailored messages that they want to convey to consumers through co-branding with a major Marvel film.

While Lexus had its own separate commercial directed by Lexus/Marvel Spot filmmaker Anthony Leonardi III (previous Lexus Marvel spots featured the Kumail Nanjiani “Parking Spot. eternal), which puts the spotlight on the electric Lexus RZ 450e 2023 wakanda‘s Dora Milaje and his general Okoye (Danai Gurira), was another.

Adidas teamed up with Lexus to design the interior of a Lexus LC 500 convertible in which Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is curled up. For the world premiere, Lexus and the Adidas School for Experiential Education in Design partnered with Carbon and influential virtual car designer Jon Sibal to create another custom vehicle, the hybrid Lexus RX 500h.

“It was authentic for these brands to join because of what the film represented: bringing people together and inclusiveness,” said Mindy Hamilton, SVP of Global Partnership Marketing & Strategy at Disney. “Everyone saw an opportunity to work together to celebrate even more and make the film even bigger. And it gave the fans more opportunities to celebrate.”

Wakanda forever marked the third collaboration with Marvel Studios, with Lexus making a cameo appearance in the original Black Panther in a chase on Busan Street. In Part 2, the Lexus LC 500 Cabriolet and Lexus GX also make guest appearances.

“Lexus itself is built on innovation and technology, and Wakanda certainly stands for that, so they’ve been a natural and always authentic brand in the DE&I space,” Hamilton said.

Lexus’ collaboration with Marvel Studios and the creation of the ads was led by Walton Isaacson, Lexus’ agency specializing in Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ audiences.

This is the latest Lexus spot, it’s a standalone MCU short:

Adidas did even more with the follow-up. The sporty brand has arrived Wakanda forever Costume designer Ruth E. Carter, for which she won an Oscar Black Panther, and members of the Adidas School of Experimental Education in Design to create custom costumes for the film for characters such as Letitia Wright’s Shuri and Gurira’s Okoye, with futuristic shoes inspired by the film’s technology and sporty designs made from transparent materials.

Adidas and Marvel also had a range of innovative clothing and footwear that ranged from tennis, running, football and sportswear. There was too black pantherthemed workouts and fitness challenges offered to adidas members in key markets via the brand’s Runtastic app. The training is inspired by the film’s action-packed sequences and characters and is filled with a fully immersive Wakanda environment.

Target serves an exclusivity wakanda Toy, home, clothing and beauty product line that includes everything from pillows and sleepwear to the one-on-one Lego Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Royal Sea Leopard ship. Shoppers could participate in the promotion and discover two immersive augmented reality experiences. In shops there were Wakanda forever Signs in the toy department where consumers can scan the QR code with their smartphone to discover Wakandan-inspired technology. From there, they could watch the Lego Royal Sea Leopard being built or interact with one of the Hasbro Titan 3-pack action figures. Target also hosted more than 130 community screenings of the sequel to support and participate in charities in select markets. Target’s collaboration with the film aligns with their own commitment to Racial Equity Action Change (REACH) to create meaningful and authentic experiences for Black team members and guests.

One of Disney’s great features with its promotional affiliate ads is to bring talent from the film to commercials for major brands and target star Dominique Thorne in Riri.

Along with other stars featured in brand endorsements, Wright was a big part of Xbox promotion for the film, helping to appeal to the latest generation in gaming and STEM industries. Wright has appeared in a series of inspirational videos. In the spirit of Xbox’s Power Your Dreams branding platform, the console was launched with a drone presentation annotated by Wright. Professor Jacoby DuBose also delivered a Wakanda-inspired HBCU keynote from Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, where he expanded the MakeCode curriculum and joined a panel of Black Gaming and STEM innovators, who delivered the entire speech through the social channels of the university was streamed live. Xbox launched Project Amplify, which uses black professionals within Xbox and the gaming industry to share their personal origin stories, advice and lessons to inspire a more equitable STEM space. There were also giveaways including console sets inspired by the iconic “Wakanda Forever” salute and Black Panther hero suit, custom controller cases with replica Kimoyo beads, and custom sterling silver charms. Aspiring innovators can also participate in a new movie-inspired MakeCode curriculum, where users can learn how to code their own game Black Panther: Wakanda Forever– Thematic activity.

Efforts by Mastercard with Wakanda forever celebrated small businesses owned by black women. The credit card endorsement for the photo is part of a half-billion dollar pledge to help bridge the racial wealth and economic divide in America by empowering black women-owned businesses through the Strivers initiative and partnerships with HBCUs and youth groups around the world. Country. Mastercard also invited small business owners and youth groups to screenings of the MCU sequel in New York and Atlanta. This was the first time Disney worked with Mastercard.

Rounding out the advertising media associated with the film was longtime Disney advertising partner McDonald’s, which announced a Happy Meal line featuring one of 10 action figures. Sprite Zero, which featured at the Gen Z demo, with Wakanda forever Bottles and Cans also presented a QR-enabled AR and digital experience featuring the “origin stories” of three different female creators behind the sequel: production designer Hannah Beachler, storyboard artist Jasmine Alexia Jackson, and sculptor Alicia Diaz.

There was also an initial joint NBA-Disney ad campaign for it Wakanda forever. A mashup promotional video titled “NBA Forever” debuted on social media and ESPN on October 21 and during the October 26 doubleheader on ESPN. It also hosted 15 NBA teams Wakanda forever Theme nights at the stadium.

Among the beauty brands that have jumped in Wakanda forever was the Mac collection, featuring items such as classic bullet lipsticks in shades of Wakandan Sunset (bright, cool fuchsia), Dora Milaje (blue-red), Royal Integrity (warm chocolate) and Story of Home (medium-toned, neutral with light) pink ). undertones); Feelin’ It Lip Gloss (Translucent Gold); and Love Me Liquid Lip Color in shades of The Shadows (black), Thicker Than Water (blood red), Show-Off (red bronze) and Wakanda Forever (brilliant bright purple).

Procter & Gamble had their Limited Edition Bevel x Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Edition safety razor gift set. P&G hair care brands also had My Black Is Beautiful and Gold Series in collaboration with the film with special product bundles featuring My Black Is Beautiful’s Golden Milk Collection and Gold Series Core Collection at Target, Walmart and Kroger. In addition, MBIB and Gold Series teamed up with Camille Friend, head of the film’s hair department. Prior to the film’s release, she worked with brands on media engagement, discussing the power of hair and how it shaped identity, as well as tips for hair styling and maintenance. Disney recently teamed up with P&G Ms. Marvel and Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness. My Black Is Beautiful was a special partner for wakanda forever, as the product was founded by a female scientist, matching the STEM themes of the photo.

Hamilton said about the Wakanda forever Lineup Advertising Partners: “We are able to deliver this very specific, tailored collaboration together, not only by working with partners and their agencies to tell stories, but also by bringing our film talent to the table. Few can imitate it. This is our secret sauce.”