The Challenge
This was a holiday brief for Disney… The most magical brand in the world at the most magical time of year. Their ambition was to deepen the emotional connection between customers and the brand, by strengthening the association between Disney and the Holiday season. The scope was global, meaning we needed to tell a universal story that would warm hearts, regardless of geography or language. Targeting the busy holiday period meant we needed to strike a balance between creating something unexpected to get noticed and talked about, while also feeling undeniably Disney.
The Solution
The objective was to deepen people’s connection to the brand through a captivating piece of storytelling that associated Disney with the holidays. We chose to make not a traditional ad campaign, but a Holiday short film. To surprise and delight audiences in a way only Disney could. Cue 'The Boy and the Octopus' – an enchanting four-minute story of friendship between a little boy and a curious octopus who wants to see the world, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Taika Waititi. The approach meant success would be measured in views and engagements. The film was viewed 83M times across Disney owned digital channels in the first week alone. Countless fan comments online confirmed it hit the mark, summed up by one in these words: “Disney magic is BACK.”