Reimagining Legacy Brands: How Disney Balances Tradition and Innovation
Balancing innovation with tradition is a delicate art, especially for legacy brands with long-standing reputations and deeply loyal audiences. Disney, a brand synonymous with magic and timeless storytelling, exemplifies how to navigate this balance masterfully. Through strategic media relations and a commitment to evolution, Disney continually reinvents its offerings while preserving the nostalgic essence that endears it to generations of fans. For public relations professionals, Disney’s approach provides a roadmap for helping legacy brands remain relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.
The Challenge of Evolving a Legacy Brand
Legacy brands face a unique challenge: how to modernize without alienating a loyal customer base. For Disney, a company steeped in decades of beloved stories, characters, and experiences, this challenge is magnified. However, Disney’s ability to seamlessly blend tradition with innovation—in its films, franchises, and overall brand—is a testament to its strategic approach to media relations.
Revamping Classic Films for Modern Audiences
Disney’s live-action remakes of animated classics, such as The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast, highlight its ability to update beloved stories while honoring their original appeal. These projects generate immense buzz in the media, driven by nostalgia and curiosity about how Disney will reimagine each story.
Media relations campaigns for these remakes often focus on:
- Showcasing the cutting-edge technology used in production, such as photorealistic CGI in The Lion King.
- Highlighting diverse casting choices, such as the decision to feature Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin.
- Collaborating with influencers and critics to amplify positive reception while addressing concerns about the reinterpretation of cherished stories.
PR Takeaway: Legacy brands can leverage nostalgia as a marketing tool while incorporating modern elements that resonate with contemporary audiences. Media campaigns should emphasize both the familiar and the fresh.
Expanding Franchises: Marvel and Star Wars
Two of Disney’s most successful acquisitions, Marvel and Star Wars, have become pillars of its strategy to blend tradition with innovation. Under Disney’s leadership, these franchises have expanded to include new films, streaming series, merchandise, and immersive theme park experiences.
For instance:
- Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame shattered box office records, driven by a media campaign that celebrated over a decade of interconnected storytelling while teasing an emotional finale.
- Disney’s expansion of the Star Wars universe with projects like The Mandalorian on Disney+ introduced fresh characters and narratives, appealing to both long-time fans and new audiences.
PR Takeaway: Successful legacy brand expansions require thoughtful storytelling that bridges past and present. Media campaigns should celebrate historical achievements while highlighting the brand’s forward-looking vision.
Introducing New Intellectual Properties (IPs)
While Disney thrives on its legacy properties, it also excels at launching new IPs that complement its existing portfolio. Films like Frozen and Encanto have become cultural phenomena, celebrated for their unique stories, diverse characters, and unforgettable music.
Disney’s media relations strategies for new IPs often include:
- Highlighting the creative talent behind the projects, such as composers, writers, and animators.
- Leveraging social media to build anticipation and engage fans through interactive content.
- Collaborating with global partners to ensure the stories resonate across cultures.
PR Takeaway: Legacy brands can introduce new offerings by aligning them with the company’s core values while ensuring they bring fresh perspectives to the table. Media campaigns should focus on building excitement and fostering emotional connections.
Practical Tips for PR Professionals
Disney’s ability to balance tradition and innovation offers actionable lessons for PR professionals working with legacy brands:
- Leverage Nostalgia with Purpose: Use nostalgia as an entry point but ensure that your messaging emphasizes relevance and innovation. Highlight how the brand evolves while respecting its roots.
- Develop Multichannel Strategies: Disney’s campaigns span traditional media, social platforms, influencer partnerships, and direct-to-consumer channels. A comprehensive approach ensures your message reaches diverse audiences.
- Celebrate Storytelling: Legacy brands thrive on the emotional resonance of their stories. Develop narratives that emphasize the human connection behind your brand’s evolution.
- Engage Your Audience: Solicit feedback, invite participation, and engage in conversations with your audience. Disney’s ability to adapt often stems from its deep understanding of fan expectations and preferences.
- Invest in Future-Proofing: Innovate proactively, not reactively. By embracing emerging trends and technologies, brands can position themselves as leaders in their industries.
Keeping the Magic Alive
Disney’s success in balancing tradition and innovation underscores the power of thoughtful media relations and strategic brand evolution. For legacy brands, the challenge is not just to preserve history but to build upon it in meaningful ways that resonate with today’s audiences.
By adopting Disney’s approach—leveraging nostalgia, celebrating creativity, and embracing new opportunities—PR professionals can help their clients navigate change while staying true to their core values. As Disney shows us, the key to longevity lies in keeping the magic alive for generations to come.
Mark Kaley is the author of the book “From Pennies to Millions” and the PR Manager with Otter Public Relations. He has been featured in Forbes, Fox Business, Authority Magazine, Modern Marketing Today, PR Pioneer, Market Daily, O’Dwyer PR, DKoding, and Consumer Affairs. Mark is also a contributor with Hackernoon, you can view his contributor profile here.
