Sofia The First
“Sofia The First” is the popular Disney Junior show where Sofia becomes a princess when her mother marries the King of Enchancia. Disney launched this program in 2013 in hopes of competing with other popular shows from competitors, including “Blue’s Clues.” She was also utilized to repair the idea of what it means to be a princess. Disney is attempting to pivot away from the ideas that have been ingrained into princesses for decades. “With Sofia, Disney aims to avoid the stereotype of girls needing a prince to save them, or the concept of conniving stepmothers.” (Rosman)
Focus Groups
In order to test the effectiveness of the character of Sofia and other elements with the show “Sofia The First,” Disney utilized marketing intelligence in the form of focus groups. Disney works with a small group of schools within and around the Los Angeles area. Disney executives attend these facilities so preschool and kindergarten students can participate in focus groups for characters and plots within Disney Junior shows. Disney pays $100 per visit and praises students with Disney Jr. stickers.
Sofia The First in Focus Groups
When Disney presented Sofia to the focus groups, they tested the plot of “Sofia’s First Slumber Party.” To capture the emotions and feedback from students, Disney executives utilized video cameras to record the students, and some executives took notes on everything that happened during the focus group. Immediately, the executives recognized that students were unfamiliar with the phrase “slumber party,” so executives changed the episode title to “The Big Sleepover.” The ideas of peer pressure were also tested. Executives concluded through the focus group that students did indeed understand what peer pressure was but that the moral of free will needed to be more explicit for the younger audiences.
Disney’s Success
Disney’s success in utilizing marketing intelligence through focus groups has been evident for years. Disney Junior continues to be popular, with new programs added frequently. By using focus groups, Disney can ask actual viewers for their opinions and understanding. By using the focus group participants as a representation of the larger Disney Junior audience, Disney effectively improves their programs to fit the correct target market and ensures Disney Junior continued success.
To read more about Sofia and the methodology behind the focus groups, please visit the article that inspired me to investigate Disney’s use of focus groups.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887324050304578412771510068366
2 replies on “Disney’s Marketing Intelligence: Sofia The First”
I think it was a really good idea to do focus groups with kids, the audience that this show is reaching out to, so you get a good understanding of what resonates best with kids and how best to illustrate certain lessons so they can understand and enjoy shows being put out for them.
I agree, Kristina! Disney truly benefited through the use of focus groups as it allowed them to understand what resonates with different kids.