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Cinderella's glass slipper on castle's floor/ 3D rendering

<h3>How a story-led social campaign reignited the Disney fanbase after Covid &nbsp; Overview</h3>A few years after the global shutdown of travel, Disney faced a challenge shared by many destination brands:How do you reignite passion, confidence and excitement after a long pause — without resorting to short-term offers or hard selling?The answer wasn’t more content.It was a story.What followed was UK’s Biggest Disney Fan — a world-first, social-led storytelling campaign that ran for months, spanned three destinations, and turned fans into the heart of the narrative.To this day, it remains one of the most ambitious and successful campaigns I’ve ever led.<h3>The Challenge</h3>Post-Covid, we needed to encourage guests back to Disney Parks &amp; Resorts.But this wasn’t a typical re-launch moment.Audiences weren’t just asking:“What’s new?” “What’s the offer?”They were asking:“Is it safe?” “Will it feel the same?” “Will it be worth it?” “Can I emotionally re-engage with this world again?”This required more than awareness.It required rebuilding belief.<h3>The Insight</h3>People don’t reconnect with destinations through information.They reconnect through stories they can emotionally invest in.So instead of telling people why they should return to Disney, we created a story that allowed them to experience the return through others.Not influencers.Not actors.Real fans.<h3>The Idea: UK’s Biggest Disney Fan</h3>UK’s Biggest Disney Fan was a world-first concept, designed and led within the social team.At its core, it was a single, long-form story — told episodically across social — with a clear narrative arc:Who is the UK’s biggest Disney fan?<h3>The Concept</h3>We launched the biggest competition in Disney UK history.Fans were invited to submit a 30–60 second video explaining why they were the UK’s Biggest Disney Fan.The prize wasn’t a holiday.It was the ultimate Disney story.Ten shortlisted fans would:<ul><li>Visit Disneyland Paris</li><li>Fly to Walt Disney World Resort</li><li>Sail aboard the newly christened Disney Cruise Line ship, The Disney Wish</li></ul>Across two weeks, they would compete in ten bespoke challenges — one in each destination — to crown the ultimate winner.<h3>Storytelling in Action (Not Just Content)</h3>This wasn’t a single campaign asset.It was a narrative journey, built intentionally around storytelling principles.Entry Phase — Emotional PermissionOver 1,500 fan submissions poured in, driven by organic and paid social across Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.Fans weren’t selling themselves.They were telling stories.This immediately reactivated the community and reframed Disney as something people belonged to again.<h3>The Journey — Belief &amp; Imagination</h3>Ten fans travelled together, experiencing Disney across three destinations and competing along the way:<ul><li>Battling Spider Droids in Avengers Campus (Disneyland Paris)</li><li>Competing in a live game-show experience in EPCOT (Walt Disney World Resort)</li><li>Racing through a scavenger hunt aboard the Disney Wish (Disney Cruise Line)</li></ul>The entire journey was documented and shared socially, allowing fans at home to follow the story in real time.To amplify the narrative:<ul><li>Five creators joined the trip to share the experience through their own lenses</li><li>UK celebrity Janette Manrara hosted the journey, acting as the connective thread</li></ul>This wasn’t about spectacle.It was about letting audiences imagine themselves in the story.&nbsp; <h3>The Finale — Payoff</h3>After weeks of storytelling, the campaign culminated in a once-in-a-lifetime moment.The winner was crowned in front of Cinderella Castle, during a bespoke ceremony featuring:<ul><li>Custom fireworks</li><li>Senior Disney executives</li><li>Mickey Mouse</li></ul>The ultimate prize: An overnight stay inside the Cinderella Castle Suite — a room that cannot be booked.A story needs an ending.This one delivered.<h3>&nbsp; The Results&nbsp;</h3>While internal metrics remain confidential, the public impact was clear:<ul><li>Over 100 million impressions across social platforms</li><li>Widespread national press coverage</li><li>Significant fan engagement throughout the multi-month campaign</li><li>Thousands of messages from fans following the journey at home</li><li>The campaign became a reference point for post-Covid brand re-engagement</li></ul>More importantly:It reignited belief in the Disney experience at a critical moment.<h3>&nbsp; Why This Campaign Worked</h3>UK’s Biggest Disney Fan succeeded because storytelling was treated as a strategy, not a format.The story did the real work:<ul><li>It reduced uncertainty by showing the experience, not selling it</li><li>It rebuilt emotional confidence after a long pause</li><li>It helped audiences imagine themselves back in the world of Disney</li><li>It created shared momentum, not one-off moments</li></ul>No single asset could have achieved that.<h3>&nbsp; The Takeaway for Destination Brands</h3>When confidence is fragile, and the purchase is emotional and expensive, storytelling becomes a commercial tool.Not to entertain. But to reassure, reconnect and rebuild belief.UK’s Biggest Disney Fan wasn’t a viral moment. It was a story people stayed with.That’s why it worked.<figure id="figure-pm8db6fyamj79qn9y" class=""><iframe id="pm8db6fyamj79qn9y" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jtL_E6jXlXk" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtL_E6jXlXk" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jtL_E6jXlXk" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>

CASE STUDY: UK’s Biggest Disney Fan

<h2>A localisation strategy that grew a UK community, shaped global rollouts, and powered some of Disney’s most successful campaigns.</h2><h3>Overview</h3>During my time leading social media for Disney Parks across the UK &amp; EMEA, I developed and championed a localisation philosophy we eventually called the Local Lens.The idea was simple:Disney is a global destination — but people plan their holidays locally.Across years of campaigns, channel launches, creator programmes and brand moments, this approach transformed our UK social ecosystem, built one of the strongest domestic Disney Park communities in the world, and influenced global teams to replicate the model.<h3>The Challenge</h3>Disney Parks content was world-class — but it was also global.UK audiences often struggled to see themselves in a story filmed thousands of miles away. We needed to bridge the emotional and practical gap between:“That looks magical” → “That could be my holiday.”In short: We needed to make global destinations feel local.<h3>The Strategy: Build a Local Lens for Every Channel</h3>Instead of running a “UK version” of a global content feed, we reframed the approach entirely:We weren’t just building a brand account. We were building the UK’s biggest fan account for Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Paris and Disney Cruise Line.We weren’t just translating content. We were translating meaning: UK humour, UK emotions, UK planning needs, UK creators, UK cultural moments.We weren’t just amplifying global stories. We were telling the UK story of Disney.This became the foundation of the UK’s first dedicated Disney Parks Instagram channel: @DisneyParksUK.<h3>The Execution</h3>1. Launching &amp; Refreshing @DisneyParksUKDuring my tenure, I led the strategy and creative direction for what became the UK’s flagship Disney Parks social channel.From a standing start, we grew the community to 180,000+ highly engaged followers, leading the market in localised storytelling for Disney’s three key destinations. Our positioning:“We are the number-one fan account for UK Disney travellers.”This guided everything — tone, visuals, creators, and content structure.2. Post-Covid Reopening: Reframing the Magic for UK TravellersWhen Walt Disney World Resort reopened globally, we didn’t simply reuse U.S. content.We reframed the experience through a UK lens:<ul><li>“Here’s what it’s like returning to Disney from the UK.”</li><li>UK creators experiencing the 50th Anniversary celebration.</li><li>Local travel realities (flight tips, timing, weather, planning).</li><li>UK voices, UK humour, UK families.</li></ul>Engagement surged because the experience felt attainable, not abstract.3. Creator-Led Local CampaignsWe continuously collaborated with UK creators and UK Disney fans whose voices felt authentic to the audience.Two standout campaigns:#HowDoYouDisney A storytelling-first, creator-led movement that generated tens of millions of views across UK creators and our channels — celebrating the UK way of doing Disney.#DoYouKnowDisneyCruise A TikTok and Instagram push highlighting UK-friendly Disney Cruise Line experiences.Again, creator-first, audience-first, local-first.These campaigns didn’t succeed because they were flashy.They succeeded because they felt true to the UK audience.&nbsp; 4. “UK’s Biggest Disney Fan” — A Cultural MomentOne of the most successful Disney Parks UK campaigns ever conceived and led under my team was UK’s Biggest Disney Fan.This became a cross-platform cultural moment that reached hundreds of millions across social, PR, and broadcast media.Why did it work?Because it wasn’t a global idea retrofitted for the UK.It was a UK-native concept born from understanding this audience’s identity, passion, and sense of fun.This is the Local Lens at full power.&nbsp; 5. Localisation Became a Global PlaybookAs performance grew, our UK-local strategy gained international attention.Teams across:Australia Spain The Netherlands The Middle East…began adapting the Local Lens model to their own markets.Each market saw rapid audience growth and strong engagement, proving that localisation scales when built on insight, not translation.&nbsp; 6. Bringing the Local Lens to YouTubeWhen challenged to grow a domestic audience on Disney UK’s YouTube channel, we applied the same principle: Tell local stories about a global brand.I conceptualised a new YouTube series grounded in “Disney in the UK” — exploring the domestic locations, cultural roots and stories that inspired some of Disney’s most iconic films.This brought Disney storytelling into the audience’s world, not the other way around.Watch time, retention, and UK affinity rose as a result.<h3>The Results&nbsp;</h3>Without sharing proprietary data, the outcomes were clear and widely visible:<ul><li>Built one of the most engaged Disney Parks communities outside the U.S.</li><li>Grew @DisneyParksUK from zero to 180K passionate followers</li><li>Creator campaigns achieving tens of millions of views</li><li>“UK’s Biggest Disney Fan” becoming a national cultural moment</li><li>Major improvements in local relevance, sentiment and organic performance</li><li>Successful commercial campaign performance due to strong organic reach</li><li>Local Lens philosophy adopted across multiple global markets</li></ul>The Local Lens didn’t just create better content.It created a community that trusted us — and acted on what we shared.<h3>Why This Matters for Destination Brands Today</h3>Travellers don’t book based on global narratives. They book based on local meaning, local reassurance, local emotion.A family in Manchester planning a Florida holiday has completely different questions, fears and hopes than a family in Orlando.The Local Lens bridges that gap.It transforms global marketing into story-led localisation that drives real planning intent — the kind that leads to bookings.<h3>Takeaway</h3>Your destination can be global.Your content can’t be.To build trust, drive intent and convert audiences, your storytelling has to reflect:<ul><li>Their culture</li><li>Their travel behaviour</li><li>Their humour</li><li>Their planning mindset</li><li>Their questions</li><li>Their world</li></ul>That’s what the Local Lens does.<h3>Want to apply the Local Lens to your own destination?</h3>If you’re a travel, destination, hospitality or theme park brand looking to build a loyal UK audience through story-led local strategy, I’d love to help.Let’s talk.

CASE STUDY: The Local Lens — How We Built a UK-Focused Social Ecosystem for Disney Parks

<h2>A 24-hour storytelling experiment with a DJI Osmo Pocket 3.</h2><h3>Tis the season — so I decided to make a Christmas ad in a single day.</h3>At Thresh Productions, I talk a lot about story-first social content. And if the first rule of storytelling is show, don’t tell, then it felt right to put my own philosophy to the test.So I set myself a challenge:24 hours to conceptualise, shoot, edit, and produce a story-led Christmas video, entirely on a DJI Osmo Pocket 3.The idea was simple: take the familiar “Things to do in London at Christmas” format and reimagine it as an actual narrative.Same destinations, same festive touchpoints — but with a story to guide the viewer through the journey.<figure id="figure-ho0ogxsltmmiubz2j4" class="selected"><iframe id="ho0ogxsltmmiubz2j4" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AIgOxewauHw" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIgOxewauHw" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AIgOxewauHw" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure><h3>What I Learned in the Process</h3>1. The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is seriously impressiveDespite a few low-light struggles, it handled handheld shooting, colour depth, and stabilisation incredibly well. Small camera, big potential.2. Being both the crew and the talent is… an experienceWould this have been stronger with another creator on screen? Absolutely. Did I film myself anyway? Also yes.3. Colour grading D-LOG at midnight builds characterShooting D-LOG gave me flexibility in post, but for quick-turnaround social projects, the in-built colour profiles might be the wiser choice.4. 30,000 steps in a day is not a recommended workflow but weaving Regent Street, Covent Garden, Somerset House and Southbank into one cohesive story? Worth it.<h3>&nbsp; On Perfection (or the Lack of It)</h3>I nearly didn’t publish this project because it isn’t perfect.But perfection wasn’t the goal — possibility was.In just 24 hours, this video became a great example of what’s achievable now on social media with the right idea and a story-first approach.And if this is what’s possible in a day… imagine what we could create with even more time.<h3>&nbsp; Want to Explore Story-First Content?</h3>If you’re interested in elevating your brand’s social presence through narrative-driven content, feel free to reach out — no seasonal quests required.

Creating a Story-Led Christmas Film in 24 Hours

portrait of an american girl in an amusement park

<figure id="figure-qgyzgqdribminc94am" class=""><img id="qgyzgqdribminc94am" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1ajn80uErObxsVpDIgkbhOBqTHLLv7VuMmSi7yGpZAWpQuNxARlTBN0lIeIruwfR.png" alt="Awareness Intent Conversion Marketing Funnel" title="Awareness Intent Conversion Marketing Funnel" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/1ajn80uErObxsVpDIgkbhOBqTHLLv7VuMmSi7yGpZAWpQuNxARlTBN0lIeIruwfR.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><h2>How We Built a YouTube-First Planning Funnel for Disney Parks UK</h2>A story-led content ecosystem designed to turn awareness into intent.<h3>Overview</h3>During my time marketing Disney Parks across the UK &amp; EMEA, we reversed engineered a new intent layer for our social ecosystem — one built around long-form storytelling on YouTube.The result was Go To — a cross-channel content series designed to turn high-volume social awareness into deeper planning intent for:<ul><li>Walt Disney World Resort</li><li>Disneyland Paris</li><li>Disney Cruise Line</li></ul>What began as a TikTok-driven UGC campaign ultimately became a 40-minute holiday planning journey, delivered through YouTube playlists and episodic videos.Today, the “Go To Walt Disney World” playlist alone has exceeded 500,000+ views on YouTube.View the series <a data-mce-href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPCp3Td3qajCdyOV4xekgimqenvtrMNpL" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPCp3Td3qajCdyOV4xekgimqenvtrMNpL" title="Go To Disney Parks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE</a><h2>The Challenge</h2>Disney Parks UK had huge awareness across TikTok and Instagram — often millions of views.But trip bookings didn’t correlate directly with viral performance.We discovered a gap: high awareness, low conversion-driving intent.We needed to recreate the function of the iconic 00’s Disney Holiday Planning DVD — content designed not to entertain, but to help families plan their dream holiday.But modern audiences weren’t waiting for DVDs.So we reimagined the DVD as a YouTube-first, social-powered content ecosystem.<h2>The Insight</h2>Travellers don’t book £5,000–£10,000 holidays from 6-second videos.They book when they’ve spent time in the world — understanding, planning, dreaming, imagining themselves there.Short-form = awareness.Long-form = intent.Intent drives bookings.So we built a campaign around this truth. Instead of making a “social video,” we made a planning resource — then reverse engineered the campaign around it.<h2>The Strategy</h2><figure id="figure-w7cws2bsdcminchjy2"><img id="w7cws2bsdcminchjy2" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38OyJ2WwVKIOitpRQNhKXHBCHUTQhRBLlpTFGKolZruUz8vsDQBNXvMWe7DsNbXY.png" alt="Three phase marketing funnel image" title="Three phase marketing funnel image" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/38OyJ2WwVKIOitpRQNhKXHBCHUTQhRBLlpTFGKolZruUz8vsDQBNXvMWe7DsNbXY.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>We designed a three-phase plan,&nbsp;starting with UGC awareness and ending with deep planning content on YouTube.1. TikTok → Spark AwarenessWe launched a UGC competition inviting fans to share their best “Go To Tip” for our resorts.<ul><li>Massive organic engagement</li><li>Co-promoted with major UK creators</li><li>Built emotional connection and reach</li><li>Crowdsourced insights from real guests</li></ul>This created early momentum and generated social proof.2. Filming the Planning Videos (Lo-Fi, High-Trust)Rather than a costly, high-gloss production, we deliberately kept it authentic and low-fi — because planning content needs clarity, honesty and trust.Across three resorts, we produced:<ul><li>3 long-form planning videos (one per destination)</li><li>Shot on location</li><li>Story-led walkthroughs</li><li>Real guests featured</li><li>Designed to mirror the emotional arc of planning a Disney trip</li></ul>These became the backbone of our YouTube intent layer.&nbsp; 3. YouTube → Build IntentInstead of one long video, we created YouTube playlists that unfold like episodes of a journey — ultimately giving viewers the experience of a 40-minute planning guide.Each playlist delivered:<ul><li>High watch time</li><li>Strong session duration</li><li>Repeat viewing</li><li>High-value traffic ready to explore planning tools and booking pages</li></ul>The “Go To Walt Disney World” playlist alone now sits at 500K+ organic views, far surpassing all benchmarks.4. Instagram &amp; Other Platforms → Redistribute the StoryOnce the long-form content was live, we cut it into:<ul><li>Short-form teasers</li><li>Itinerary highlights</li><li>Packing tips</li><li>Micro-guides</li><li>Top moments</li></ul>These served as awareness drivers, all pushing viewers toward the deeper YouTube planning content.<h2>The Results&nbsp;</h2><figure id="figure-nuhdzqilk8mincl7z9"><img id="nuhdzqilk8mincl7z9" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2fvxRwZPs5t9rqeYwuaDB3SaW4St5cRVN3k39yABW6kX8s4WkwNDvGx9YEhflHVK.png" alt="DVD to YouTube graphic" title="DVD to YouTube graphic" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/2fvxRwZPs5t9rqeYwuaDB3SaW4St5cRVN3k39yABW6kX8s4WkwNDvGx9YEhflHVK.png" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure><ul><li>Millions of views across TikTok &amp; Instagram around the launch and cut-downs</li><li>500K+ views on the Walt Disney World “Go To” playlist alone</li><li>Significant engagement across all resort playlists</li><li>High average watch times (long-form, multi-episode)</li><li>Strong social-to-YouTube traffic patterns</li><li>Meaningful uplift in trip planning behaviours, based on publicly observable metrics (comments, search volumes, engagement signals)</li><li>Measurable results driving to conversion&nbsp;</li></ul>Most importantly:We successfully built a modern version of the holiday planning DVD — on YouTube, powered by social.And it worked.<h2>Why This Matters&nbsp;</h2>This strategy proved a key truth:You don’t convert from viral reach — you convert from time spent.If you want travellers to book high-value experiences, you need to build a story-led content ecosystem, not disconnected posts.Short-form builds desire. Long-form builds intent. Platforms must work together, not compete.<h2>Takeaway</h2>The Go To campaign wasn’t just a social video series — it was a destination marketing funnel, designed to guide guests from dreaming to planning to booking.It’s the same strategy I now help destination brands implement: story-led content that genuinely drives intent.Need help building a story-led social ecosystem?Let’s talk about how to apply this model to your brand.&nbsp;<a data-mce-href="mailto:david@threshproductions.com" href="mailto:david@threshproductions.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reach out today.</a>

CASE STUDY: Go To Disney Parks

Thresh Productions

Thresh Productions is a social media agency specialising in low-fi social media production, headed up by a previous executive for a massive global entertainment brand, with lots of experience in social media marketing for a major travel theme park brand, as well as wider entertainment marketing. 
Under the umbrella of Thresh Productions is: Thresh Creative; specialising in social media strategy, content and low-fi production. Thresh AI; using AI to localise content in different languages at a low-cost. And Thresh Creators; optimising Social Media Content Creator strategy for brands. 
This is an LTD company registered in the UK. 

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CASE STUDY: UK’s Biggest Disney Fan

CASE STUDY: The Local Lens — How We Built a UK-Focused So...

Creating a Story-Led Christmas Film in 24 Hours

CASE STUDY: Go To Disney Parks