Disney manager: Viral marketing stunts made “Deadpool” a billion-dollar hit

From cameos in K-pop videos to cooking chimichangas with celebrity chefs, movie stars like Ryan Reynolds are trying increasingly unorthodox stunts to reach the fragmented Gen Z audience, according to Disney's marketing chief.

The giant Hollywood studio is enjoying a blockbuster summer; the irreverent superhero film “Deadpool & Wolverine” is its latest film, which is expected to surpass the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office this weekend.

Speaking at Disney's D23 fan convention on Saturday, Chief Brand Officer Asad Ayaz attributed much of that groundbreaking success to stars Reynolds and Hugh Jackman pushing the boundaries of traditional marketing.

The A-listers appeared in their roles in Korean pop sensation Stray Kids' music video “Chk Chk Book” and took part in a YouTube cooking competition with Gordon Ramsay and his 22-year-old daughter.

Their world tour also saw them visit a European football match in Germany, a chicken shop in London (for a popular online comedy sketch series) and get soaked at a water balloon festival.

“We were very lucky and fortunate to have talent… who were willing to do things that actors sometimes don't want to do, like do things in their role,” Ayaz told AFP.

Generation Z, i.e. those aged around 12 to 27, have been particularly difficult for Hollywood and cinemas to reach in recent years, which has set off alarm bells in the industry.

But unusual stunts are “penetrating” young viewers who pay more attention to their phones, social media, YouTube influencers and video game advertisements than to traditional television commercials or movie trailers, Ayaz says.

The main focus is on creating unusual content that spreads quickly online.

A highly raunchy popcorn bucket for the film, supposedly “designed” by Reynolds' raunchy-loving Deadpool character, was meant to go viral around the world – and it did.

Reynolds and Jackman, in character as their witty superhero characters, also filmed a pre-film announcement asking moviegoers to turn off their cell phones.

“Put your phone on silent,” Jackman’s aggressive Wolverine growls into the camera in a profanity-laced threat that has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube.

“This was an example of how we produced unique content with Ryan and Hugh … in full costume,” Ayaz said.

– Meme-enabled marketing –

“Deadpool and Wolverine” was particularly well suited to the Gonzo approach because the character Deadpool repeatedly speaks directly to the audience throughout the film.

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Reynolds' foul-mouthed hero frequently pokes fun at parent company Disney and even jokes about “saving” the Marvel superhero franchise, which has had a relatively lackluster few years.

But this unconventional approach is becoming more and more widespread.

Last year, rival studio Warner built a real-life “Malibu DreamHouse” to promote “Barbie,” which went viral after it was offered for rent on Airbnb.

Another big Disney hit of recent times, Inside Out 2, tackles issues like anxiety and depression – topics that Generation Z frequently discusses online.

Analysts warn that many widely shared movie memes contain pirated copies or clips filmed illegally by moviegoers.

But Disney provided customized clips and digital toolkits for “Inside Out 2” to TikTok and YouTube creators, who quickly spread memes about the film, Ayaz said.

“This audience is heavily dependent on their devices. Their media consumption is very different from that of older generations,” he said.

“The key is to make sure we are present on the platforms where Generation Z spends the most time,” Ayaz added.

amz/nro