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Disney’s “Magic Words” Ushers in Hypertargeted Emotional Advertising

By Danni Winter

February 29, 2024

retro tv with happy face representing disneys magic words_1

It’s a weekend late in summer. Crickets are chirping. Popcorn’s in the microwave. The kids are camped out in the living room flipping through Disney+. It could only be family movie night: a beloved pastime, especially in the era of digital streaming – and the perfect time to promote your seaside destination. Let’s take a peek.

Sun-soaked beach scenes with vibrant umbrellas and bouncing beach balls…

Frolicking children build sandcastles…

Smoke floats from beachside grills?

Familiar bone-chilling themes crescendo as chaos erupts on-screen… 

Crystal shores turned to blood-red pandemonium…

Oh no! Please say your coastal getaway is NOT running an ad during Jaws!

What started as an idyllic seaside destination ad during a summer blockbuster has gone the way of fish food. Good news: a new AI-powered Disney Advertising technology, “Magic Words,” aims to clear the waters by fixing contextual relevance, emotional resonance and demographic targeting in their ad platforms. 

Evolving Streaming Advertising

Disney’s Magic Words is a new contextual advertising tool powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. It enhances ad targeting and personalization on Disney+ and Hulu by analyzing emotional cues, creative content and contextual information from Disney’s vast library of movies/shows.

Magic Words works by:

  • Indexing descriptive metadata tags
  • Matching ad tone/messaging to the mood and context of specific scenes
  • Allowing more precise emotional targeting beyond demographics

After beta testing with top global advertising firms, Magic Words represents Disney’s latest innovation for transforming streaming ads. By syncing brand messaging with relevant viewer experiences, it aims to boost engagement and impact based on interests.

Early advertiser adoption has been strong, signaling demand. With its unified data and vast entertainment ecosystem, Disney leverages Magic Words as a premium streaming video ad destination. It reflects their commitment to unlocking meaningful brand-audience connections through technology.

retro tv with happy face representing hypertargeting emotional advertising

Innovative Emotional Marketing Targeting

Building emotional connections with consumers via contextually relevant storytelling is key. Magic Words has the ingredients to advance travel content marketing by syncing messaging with streaming entertainment content for maximum impact.

While personalized and emotional advertising have been long-standing trends, Magic Words moves things forward in some innovative ways:

  • The sophistication of Disney’s content tagging and analysis for contextual/emotional ad targeting is cutting edge
  • Directly matching ad messaging to the mood and context of scenes is a new capability
  • Disney’s unified data and entertainment ecosystem uniquely allow understanding audiences and reaching them at scale

First, Disney identifies emotional cues from what viewers watch. Then, they use these insights to make ads more relevant. Ads are matched with each viewer’s personal interests and mood in the moment. 

Emotional targeting isn’t new. However, Disney’s proprietary metadata tagging solution and tightly integrated streaming distribution network has transformative potential because it links all parts of the process. 

Benefits for Travel and Tourism Advertising

Magic Words offers travel and tourism advertising impactful new ways to promote destinations and experiences by aligning ads with moods and contexts.

  • Precision targeting allows aligning messaging with relevant scenes and moods. Travel brands could promote tropical resorts while viewers watch adventure beach content.
  • Emotional targeting matches ads to viewer moods, triggering excitement about travel possibilities.
  • Contextual relevance serves ads at the right streaming moments to make messaging more impactful and organic.
  • Expanded reach presents opportunities for travel brands to access Disney’s huge streaming subscriber base beyond traditional TV.
  • Enhanced engagement means personalized, contextually relevant ads are more likely to capture attention and prompt site visits or travel planning.
  • Consumer insights stem from platform data/analytics providing useful viewer travel leading indicators to refine marketing approaches.
  • Brand safety comes from Disney’s family-friendly, brand-safe streaming environment suitable for all travel advertisers.
retro tv with happy face representing emotional advertising

How Would Your Destination Use Magic Words? 

Thanks to Magic Words, you probably won’t be promoting your tropical getaway during a Jaws marathon any time soon. Here are some more ways to leverage Disney’s new tool in your destination marketing strategy:

Beach Destinations

  • Promote beach resort packages during movie scenes set on tropical islands or with fun water activities
  • Align ads for snorkeling/diving with underwater adventure movie sequences
  • Feature sustainability initiatives when characters show care for ocean ecosystems
  • Target family waterpark ads to lighthearted, playful scenes

Mountain Destinations

  • Advertise mountain lodge getaways during winter wonderland movie visuals
  • Spotlight ski lessons and apres ski dining when characters exude excitement on the slopes
  • Promote guided hiking tours when movie scores swell with triumphant, adventurous cues
  • Align outdoor conservation messaging with back-to-nature documentary scenes

Cultural/Historical Destinations

  • Sync museum and heritage site ads to historical dramas or documentaries
  • Promote culinary experiences when movies depict culturally-rich cuisine closeups
  • Feature city walking tours and landmarks alongside establishing cityscape shots
  • Align ads to traditional music accompanying cultural festival movie scenes

Rural/Countryside Destinations

  • Promote farm stays and agritourism alongside lush countryside visuals
  • Feature local crafts and artisans synchronizing with nostalgic acoustic guitar movie music
  • Target quaint B&B ads to relaxingly slow-paced small town show moments
  • Spotlight food and wine culinary experiences when depiction wine country cuisine enjoyment

Of course, the real magic is travel marketers’ newfound ability to connect experiences with emotionally captivating stories. Magic Words lets us transport Disney’s vast, diverse audiences to destinations they could only dream of – until now. Whether that destination is a tropical paradise or a small seaside town where nothing bad ever happens (certainly not shark attacks) is up to you.

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