Multi-month movie partnership with Disney & Pixar
Turned cold outreach into an Inside Out 2 partnership that helped place immi in Target nationwide and generated 10K sweepstakes entries.
I originated and pitched the opportunity, negotiated partnership terms with Disney and our legal team, and led campaign planning and coordination. I helped script, co-directed, and produced the ad spot; briefed recipe and lifecycle content; designed the landing-page experience; and organized the sweepstakes and influencer activation.
I wanted immi to participate in the cultural moments larger CPG brands were accessing through entertainment partnerships. After seeing the wave of Minions collaborations in 2022, I researched the film’s partnerships team and pitched immi through a cold LinkedIn message.
Months of conversations and relationship-building eventually led to an introduction to Disney through Fly By Jing, opening the door to Inside Out 2. The challenge was delivering a credible, coordinated campaign with a startup team and budget while meeting Disney’s detailed creative and legal requirements.
I connected three custom recipes, a collaboration landing page, social, email, and SMS into one campaign. The sweepstakes paired immi with Fandango tickets and Disney merchandise; creator boxes and a screening incentive extended participation.
I helped storyboard, co-directed, and produced the 30-second campaign spot, sourcing a Vancouver team through my network. I coordinated talent, edits, and Disney’s creative and legal reviews.
I built repeated approvals into the timeline. When retail shipper placement became unrealistic, we dropped it and focused on the campaign we could deliver.
We connected the film’s emotions to ramen through three custom recipes celebrating Anger, Anxiety, and Joy. I worked with our recipe developer to balance visual appeal, taste, and Disney’s meal guidelines.
I designed and specified the collaboration landing page, bringing the recipes and sweepstakes into one destination. I also wrote email and SMS briefs spanning the teaser, launch, and reminders.
For the 30-second campaign spot, I helped develop the storyboard, messaging, and shot direction; recruited talent; coordinated the set; and co-directed and produced the shoot. I sourced a Vancouver production team through my network to deliver the creative within our startup budget.
I worked with the editing team on revisions and coordinated Disney’s approval of the creative, including casting, wardrobe, and use of its characters.
I organized a sweepstakes featuring Fandango movie tickets, Disney merchandise, and immi prizes. For our creator community, I developed custom product boxes with movie postcards and small gifts, plus a posting competition offering access to a VIP influencer screening.
I coordinated contract discussions and sweepstakes language with Disney and our respective legal teams, building repeated creative reviews into the campaign timeline.
We also explored movie-branded retail shippers. When placement timelines became too tight, we dropped the idea and focused on deliverables we could confidently launch.
The Disney/Pixar association helped our founder and retail team build trust with Target’s buyer. It showed that immi could deliver a campaign with a major entertainment partner, strengthening the case for bringing the brand into stores nationwide. The partnership helped the retail team win that placement.
Beyond the sweepstakes and email acquisition, the partnership added brand credibility in industry and retail conversations. Direct sales conversion was limited, and I do not have an isolated sales-lift measurement.
Relationships can compound beyond the original pitch. The first cold message did not lead directly to Disney. Staying engaged and making introductions kept the relationship moving until a relevant opportunity emerged.
A larger partner needs a different operating rhythm. Early alignment on creative requirements, legal language, and review deadlines makes a structured approval process easier to navigate.
Dropping the retail shippers protected time for the core campaign. For future partnerships, I would also agree upfront on how to assess sales, participation, and retail-facing value separately.
My contribution: Script development, co-direction & production.
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