Based on Disney-Hyperion’s best-selling book series by award-winning author Rick Riordan, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" is a Disney+ Original series that tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who's just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. With help from his friends Grover and Annabeth, Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.
To raise awareness of the series, elevate the main cast, and mobilize fans of the books, Disney Branded Television built a social media presence across Instagram and TikTok that would not only be a part of the "Percy Jackson" conversation - but would drive it into the cultural zeitgeist. The social accounts aimed to engage new viewers and fans alike with epic bespoke creative across platforms, while accelerating word of mouth and positioning weekly episodes as can’t-miss events.
With a book series as beloved as "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," Disney Branded Television knew that earning the trust of an already engaged fan base with its social media campaign was crucial to growing audiences. Disney Branded Television leveraged fans' excitement for the "Percy Jackson" story and characters by providing them with a wide variety of behind-the-scenes content that brought fans closer to the cast and creators of the series, while also sharing “Mythology 101” content to introduce the uninitiated into the world of demigods and monsters.
Posts included exciting and light-hearted clips from the show, fan-favorite character moments, episodic posters, timely memes and giveaways to boost engagement, and inside looks at the creation of the series. All social content had to balance the new and the nostalgic: world-building for broad audiences while simultaneously incorporating winks and nods to long-time fans along the way.
The social accounts made use of the video format of TikTok and Instagram to highlight the charisma of the cast with a premiere "Watch Party" and to show the love and care that went into the creation of the series with weekly "Demigod Diaries" videos. These Watch Party videos brought the cast together to watch the show, share insights on the story and their characters, and show their relationship with one another, giving fans an opportunity to relate to the young cast of "Percy Jackson." With the "Demigod Diaries" videos, Disney Branded Television again stuck close to the cast, providing viewers and fans with insights into how "Percy Jackson" is made by focusing on the experiences of the cast as they created memorable moments and participated in exciting stunts. Disney Branded Television used TikTok and Instagram to give fans another way to engage with the show and rewarded them for being part of the community with content they couldn't get anywhere else.
Essential to the social campaign was the savvy, fan-engaged voice that allowed Disney Branded Television to go beyond the usual promotional posts. The accounts included memes that referenced inside jokes, portions of the community that "ship" different characters, and other elements of the "Percy Jackson" fandom that demonstrated the social accounts were run by people who were also huge fans of the series. The knowledgeable tone made the social campaign resonate with fans and viewers even more, giving Disney Branded Television the ability not just to promote "Percy Jackson," but to drive and participate in the online conversation about the show.
Disney Branded Television’s social presence for "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" has been highly successful in driving fan and viewer engagement and raising awareness and viewership for the show itself. The posts have generated large followings on social media, with heavy engagement from a tuned-in fan base that likes to take part in the conversation.
Instagram content consistently generated likes in the tens of thousands per post, with many reaching into the hundreds of thousands. Even better are the hundreds or thousands of comments on each post, demonstrating the healthy engagement and strong community around the social campaign that's consistently excited about "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" and hungry for more.
The social campaign helped "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" to a record-breaking premiere on Disney+ and Hulu, with 13.3 million viewers over its first six days.
