With the release of Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2022, Target and Marvel Studios launched a deep strategic and creative endeavor to unite the enterprise of Target with the MCU, add to the Marvel canon, and make an impact within Black communities.
We set out to create an invitation to a world that is both aspirational and accessible; leveraging the characters and stories of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that best align with three iconic brands — Marvel, LEGO and Target.
This multi-faceted campaign fully centers the ingenuity, possibility and optimism of Black women and girls, celebrates culture, and how, together, we can achieve more.
“Through this work, our goal is to affirm and amplify the creativity of Black women who are focused and fearless in redefining what’s possible in the world and are inspiring the next generation of Black girls to dream, build, and lead in their own ways, with their own voice,” Todd Waterbury, Target Chief Creative Officer, for Adweek.
Black Panther’s portrayal of Black female leads crafts a unique vision of womanhood, both inspiring and empowering, for everyone. The women of the film showcase their strength and ingenuity through storylines that reinforce their humanity. Our marketing strategy was grounded in a desire to build towards a better, more expansive world through collective action to prove we are stronger as a community. Together, with Marvel and LEGO, we set out to help turn Black Panther’s vision into a reality by uplifting community and encouraging participation in cultivating a world where we all belong.
How we brought this world to life:
We discovered that to cultivate a world where we all belong, we must create spaces to feel, hear, and see belonging.
Executions:
- :60 spot that introduced Riri Williams to the world, encouraging young women in STEM, shown on big stage platforms including Monday Night Football, NBA opening week, a Time Square digital billboard, YouTube masthead and more.
- Hosting more than 130 free film screenings across the country in diverse communities, offering guests the opportunity to experience Black Panther: Wakanda Forever before its official release.
- At the Chicago screening, attendees were welcomed by a surprise guest, Dominique Thorne, aka Riri Williams herself!
- Paid media/social campaign messaging and store/.com digital-first experiences that centered the guest in discovery and brought them along the journey of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's release, with exclusive access to the world premiere and New York Comic-Con.
- A simulcasted YouTube and Instagram shoppable livestream featuring host Andre Meadows and a never before seen interview with Dominique Thorne.
- Target and Sprite Zero Sugar invited HBCU students to explore their infinite potential through an exercise in innovation during an 8-week campaign. The mission assigned to the students was to use Sprite Zero Sugar and Target products as inspiration, transforming them into a one-of-a-kind creation for the chance to win scholarship dollars and corporate mentorships.
Kev Features:
DRIVE discovery
- Build a reputation as every Marvel fan’s #1 retailer with shoppable content and a multi-platform livestream event
- Highlight the new #WakandaForever collection featuring exclusive product via creators and product focused storytelling
- Spotlight affordability, access to exclusives, and ease of shopping
COLLECTIVE action
- Teams across Target, Marvel, and LEGO partnered together to create foundational support for underserved communities
- Marvel - Inspires a belief in possibility
- LEGO - Supports a creative and resilient society
- Target - Offers access to tools of belonging
- Through this body of work, Target's meaningful integration solidified its place within the Marvel Universe
Our first ever studio partnership with Disney was a massive success!
- #1 market share across retailers
- Campaign awareness, appeal, and differentiation among our target audience above benchmarks
- Strong brand attribution at 92%, benchmark is 69%
- Our YouTube masthead had similar reach to Super Bowl impressions
- 5MM+ video views across social platforms
- Over 20,000 screening attendees
- Target Live: Unboxing Wakanda had an engagement rate of 36%
Video for Target & Marvel Studios' Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
