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Han Solo Gets Early Adopters

"If you build it, they will come." Disney knows that this is not always the case. It is one of the problems that brands face when trying to bridge the chasm between early adopters and the majority and laggards. Early Adopters account for 13.5% of the consumer base, but lead to 50% of new product sales. It is with this in mind that Disney and many other brands tailor their marketing campaigns to penetrate as much of the market as possible.

Star Wars already had a huge following, but the previous trilogy completely missed the mark, at least for hardcore fans. The challenge was to get them to believe in the franchise once again. If they believed it, other would be likely to follow.

When shooting for the film started, an original set picture of Darth Vader's suit getting lint-rolled was shared on Instagram. The early adopters would have been the first to find out about the picture because they were the most interested in what was happening with the new franchise. Their shares led to 52k likes within 24 hours. The buzz generated would have led the rest of the market to become more than passive bystanders of the film's progress.

Engage Early Adopters

The marketer's for the film also did a good job of keeping the fans engaged. They made sure to respond to fan questions across different social media platforms as well as other traditional channels. When the team did not answer immediately other fans would come to the rescue.

The biggest example of this was in the case of Daniel Fleetwood. #ForceForDaniel was created by Daniel's wife in a bid to encourage Disney to allow Daniel to see the film early because he was terminally ill. The hashtag gained a huge following with Mark Hamill (the actor who played Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy) and other actors from the new movie lending their support. Eventually, Mr. Fleetwood was allowed to view the film in advance. This kind of story resonates with the EA audience because it scales back a franchise that is known globally and makes it personal.

Engaging early adopters is only a small step in reaching early adopters and therefore the rest of your target. We have prepared a free guide that highlights key insights into getting early adopters to adopt your brand and share with others. Click below to receive your copy.

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