The Campaign

We made it more than just a movie by mounting a series of mall activations and stunts to promote the showing of Beauty and the Beast in SM cinemas, capitalizing on the idea of making fairy tale real life. To enable this, we had to develop scenarios that brought to life the classic fairy tale, taking inspiration from the new live action movie. Designed with the guidance of Disney Philippines and set up inside a number of SM malls nationwide, these interactive exhibits were developed to provide families with a colourful and enchanting backdrop for Instagram-worthy photos and a truly immersive, fun experience worth sharing with friends and on social media. To enable mall goers to experience being part of the fairy tale-based real-life movie, we invited some of them to a royal ball which recreated a memorable scene from the story featuring Belle and the Prince.

Creative Execution

Displays featuring movie-inspired costumes and items of Belle, the Beast were placed in cinema lobbies and selected event areas, making for immersive experiences. A giant story book and giant roses featured canned narrations of the fairy tale, offering kids a unique storytelling session. Be Our Valentine with the Prince - Valentine’s Day became even more memorable for lucky ladies as a “prince” roamed around the malls, giving roses with a movie invitation. Royal Concerto (March 12) A small orchestra serenaded mall visitors with enchanting Beauty and the Beast music, including its timeless theme song. Beauty Makeover (March 18) – We gave mall shoppers free makeovers with a Princess Belle-inspired look and ushered them into an exclusive pictorial inside the “enchanted castle” to celebrate Women’s Month. Royal Ball (March 18) – Mall-goers enjoyed a royal ball where couples danced away in their regal costumes, re-enacting the fairy tale’s lovely scene.

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results

From February to March, 2017, the Beauty and the Beast movie-themed events generated tremendous excitement and anticipation of the movie screening at SM cinemas. These are demonstrated by over 8.5 million Facebook impressions, over 79,000 Twitter impressions, 164,000 Instagram impressions, 2,922 Instagram posts using #BeOurGuestPH, and 1,500 Instagram posts using #BeOurGuestAtSM. Most of the posts were pictures of mall shoppers and movie goers enjoying the experiential displays and events. More than 1,330,000 tickets were sold in the entire SM Cinema network, totalling PhP315,706,040.62 (US$6,314,120.81) in actual audited sales. This represents 47% of the entire local industry total of Php677,019,674 (US$13,540,393.48). To date, the movie is the highest-grossing film for 2017, in the entire SM Cinema network

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service

To promote the live-action movie Beauty and the Beast, we developed a series of activations which successfully engaged not only the millennial market, but also families, especially younger children. Real-life, walk-through installations featured distinct movie elements, including the enchanted castle and west wing where the Beast kept the enchanted rose. The activations became conversation starters among guests as it brought back memories of what they felt when they watched the story’s animated version 26 years ago. Rekindling their childhood memories, parents shared how they enjoyed watching the animated film, building up the excitement for the new movie among their children.

We partnered with Disney Philippines to promote the live-action movie and enhance brand engagement through multiple touch points. We capitalized on creative displays and activations to bring thousands of families, friends, and shoppers into the enchanting world of Beauty and the Beast. Teenagers and kids explored and took selfies of the Beast’s castle, while families gathered around the enchanted rose and witnessed the royal ball. Shoppers were surprised with a musical performance that celebrated the movie’s award-winning soundtrack. These rekindled among the older market memories of watching the animated movie 26 years ago. Among the younger generation, the activations provided an immersive experience that highlights how the story has jumped from a fairy tale book to real life. We conducted merchandise selling, utilized traditional and digital advertising, and engaged local movie personalities to talk about the new film online using #BeOurGuestAtSM, to increase awareness outside of the mall events.