The Force Is Strong on Mobile: What Can Marketers Learn From The Star Wars Movie Campaign?
Whether you’re a die-hard Star Wars fan or have never watched any of the movies, it is impossible to ignore the crazy hype about long-awaited release of the new movie. There’s no denying that the Star Wars movie launch campaign is borderline genius – it includes everything from dozens of partnerships with major global brands, merchandise, social media campaigns, television commercials, billboards signs, and a plethora of mobile apps. As the Co-Founder and CEO of an agency that helps brands grow their mobile business, I am in complete awe of how the Star Wars mobile campaign is just spot on – Star Wars just got mobile right. The brand has an engaging mobile presence that utilizes all the latest technologies and lets any fan tap into the Star Wars universe and interact with it. Mobile marketers anywhere can learn from this impactful campaign – here are my takeaways: Stand Out by Utilizing Exciting New Technologies In September, Facebook introduced 360 video on its newsfeed which enables mobile users to spin their phones in any direction to get a 360 view of the scene. Star Wars was one of the first brands to release a 360 video on that day. The video enables viewers to dive into an immersive experience of speeding across the Jakku desert and spin the screen in any direction they wish to get glimpses of all parts of the scenery. Video is a hot trend in mobile marketing, which we’ll be seeing a lot more of in 2016. Advertisers constantly aim to find new ways to draw consumer attention to their ads in a world where the public is already so numb to commercials. Mobile video, especially 360 video, is like a breath of fresh air for both advertisers and customers. The intriguing visuals immediately draw user attention, which is a very scarce commodity these days, and get advertisers the impact they’re after. 
Tap Into Your Customers’ Wants and Needs If you type “Star Wars Game” into any of the app stores, you’ll find a vast selection of games to choose from. The selection ranges from Disney games to ones developed by huge gaming companies such as Rovio’s Star Wars rendition of Angry Birds or the Star Wars LEGO game. The company understands that a large mass of their audience also happens to be avid gamers, and that offering them a variety of mobile games is the best way to cater to them. The “Uprising” game for instance, developed by KABAM, enables players to delve into a rich universe that maintains gamer attention for a long time. The game keeps users around by letting them collect gear to help them with their missions, as well as earn credits and game currency. Uprising also lets players play against other competitors. The cool thing about implementing gaming into a brand’s mobile strategy, is that it acts as the ultimate retention tool. Users cannot help but keep playing over and over again to win more prizes and beat their fierce competition. Offers Fans a Personalized Experience Much like Star Wars merchandise aims to cater to all segments of their target audience from the original star wars fans to their kids, it’s mobile presence also puts a large emphasis on transmitting a customized message to each segment. Google for example, purchased rights from Disney, to let users of its apps such as Gmail, Google Plus and Youtube to give their layout a makeover choosing between the light side or the dark side. The main Star Wars app also lets users customize their own layout which includes Light Side, Dark Side, and Droid interfaces each containing different designs, sounds, and animations. One of the most well-known habit of die-hard Star Wars fans is dressing up as characters of the movie. The Star Wars app lets users take and share a Star Wars “selfie” with a feature developed by Disney Research. Users can choose from various iconic costumes and settings, including Jedi, Princess Leia (with hair buns), Han Solo’s carbon freeze, and more. The overall essence of the app is to immerse users in Star Wars’ rich universe and provide them with a variety of content that taps into their interests. 
Seamlessly Exist Across Multiple Platforms (Including Mobile) As I mentioned earlier, Star Wars is already everywhere – amusement parks, cosmetics, fashion, toys, social media, television, billboards, and most importantly, all over mobile. Star Wars has done exceptional work when it comes to making the transition between all of these platforms seamless in a way that it makes sense to the target audience and thus hopefully creates the desired impact – make the Star Wars movie the highest grossing premiere of all times. As a mobile expert I especially noticed Star Wars seamless expansion to the platform which focused on translating its community of fans into its app. Users can create an ID, choose an avatar, a handle, and connect with fellow fans. The app also encompasses content such as trailers, updates from Star Wars’ social channels, news, and more. Up until a few years ago the cult of Star Wars fans were bound to computers and television anytime they wanted to consume content from their favorite franchize. Star Wars’ mobile presence now lets fans tap into the Star Wars universe whenever they want and customize the experience to cater to their needs. In the age of mobile, there’s no surprise this Star Wars movie is has generated so much buzz for months prior its release date.
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