, as the theme park celebrated 70 years, the classic cola can be found in Tomorrowland, Frontierland, and Galaxy’s Edge. During the launch event for Coca-Cola × Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy, Becca Vodnoy, SVP of Corporate Alliances at Disney, discussed how this campaign has something for everyone.
From superheroes to classic characters, all Disney stories have one thing in common. At the heart of every tale as old as time is a personal connection. Young, old, and everyone in between can find a piece of themselves in the story arc. That sense of universality is a Disney trademark.
With the new Coca-Cola × Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy, the idea of “something for everyone” is evident throughout all the activations. Whether it is enjoying a beverage with a favorite character on the label or creating a personalized hologram, the reality is that everyone has a way to connect with these stories.
During a media event held at Disneyland, Becca Vodnoy spoke with me about the Disney and Coca-Cola partnership. When asked how the team ensured that this concept resonated with a wide demographic, Vodnoy offered this insight.
“When you ideate with creatives, it gets exciting and big. We had to think through every point along the way and ask, is this reaching all of our fans? Are we being true to the audience? And, are we creating campaigns for the fans from 1977 and the fans that are discovering it today? You will see that threaded throughout the characters we choose and how we tell the story. Quite honestly, the creative has something for everyone.”
That thoughtfulness and focus on connected storytelling is key for Disney. It is one of the reasons why these iconic characters appeal to both Boomers and Gen Alpha.
Vodnoy shared, “It's the IP and the stories that we create which offer that emotional connection. Wherever you are and whatever age, you can somehow relate it to a character, a film, or a theme. If it's bravery, if it's funniness, if it's tragedy, whatever it is.”
“Also, you have a big nostalgia play. For me, experiencing Star Wars when I was younger and now being able to experience it with my son, I see it through the lens of how I remember it, but now I'm discovering it in how he sees it.”
That connection across the generations is key to keeping the IP fresh and always front of mind. It is not nostalgia or “newstalgia.” The characters, stories, and visuals continually evolve because they are part of people’s core memories.
For Disney, having strategic partners that fit into the company’s overall vision is key. Yes, Coca-Cola was part of the opening day of Disneyland 70 years ago. More importantly, it continues to be served to guests. That longevity is key to the guest connection.
According to Vodnoy, “When we think about our partners that we allow to partner within our park space, it's few, it's meaningful. They have to be the right partners for us, and we have to be the right partners for them.”
“Also, we know that we're going to tell stories for many years to come. When we take on that partner, not only do we tell the story today, but we're ideating what we're going to tell five years from now. As the parks expand and as we bring in new attractions, we look at how we integrate that into the storytelling. We're building that in the foundation of what we're doing.”
As Disney continues looking forward, the guest experience is always part of the conversation. Vodnoy said, “We try to understand our guests' needs. There's a lot of research that we do as a company from a guest’s visit. We try to understand how they interact with our brands and our experiences. We take those expectations and work to make the guest’s day more magical. The right partners are part of that.”
With the launch of the Coca-Cola × Star Wars: Refresh Your Galaxy campaign, the activations are both in and out of the Disney Parks. From the person who searches for the Luke Skywalker bottle or the fan who makes a special visit to Disneyland for the Chewbacca packaging, people will share, enjoy, and tell their stories about the fun campaign. Star Wars might be a fictional tale, but how people interact with these bottles makes the connection real.
The Refresh Your Galaxy campaign is another chapter in the never-ending Disney and Coca-Cola story. What is next for the pair? Whether it is close to home or in a galaxy far, far away, everyone will be excited to add their imprint to this tale.
Tags: disney, star wars, coca-cola, becca vodnoy