Indiana Jones, played by mega-movie star Harrison Ford, is perhaps one of the most beloved characters in modern film history. So when Lucasfilm was preparing to release the fifth and final film in the character’s hit series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the studio focused on making a big splash.
Lucasfilm and one of its tried-and-true partners, BoxLunch, launched an omnichannel campaign timed for the release of the fandom merch and gift retailer’s Indiana Jones-themed collection. The result was an influencer-fueled social media bonanza that amplified an immersive shop-in-shop experience at BoxLunch’s Barton Creek Square store in Austin, Texas.
BoxLunch’s internal social, visual, creative and brand teams collaborated to develop a multi-pronged strategy to promote the 20-piece multi-category collection across in-store events, influencer engagement and social media campaigns. Additionally, the retailer launched ecommerce, PR support and a range of other tactics, including carefully coordinated use of influencers, garnering a total of more than 132.6 million impressions.
“BoxLunch has a longstanding partnership with Lucasfilm, and we have collaborated on multiple campaigns in the past,” noted Brittany Curl-Medina, Marketing Manager at BoxLunch in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “The team thought the opportunity for the shop-in-shop was perfect for the launch of the film as well as our tie-in collection.”
Although only one store had the immersive shop-in-shop experience, the collection was available in more than 240 BoxLunch locations that were outfitted “with dedicated window and in-store displays to celebrate the release of the latest Indiana Jones adventure,” Curl-Medina explained. In stores, the retailer hosted two in-store events with DJ entertainment, trivia and giveaways.
Harnessing the Power of Influence
By tapping several social media influencers within BoxLunch Collective, the brand’s affiliate program, the retailer and Lucasfilm were able to build buzz surrounding the collection and shop-in-shop experience. Creator Kurt Tocci (@kurttocci), for example, developed two TikTok videos and one Instagram Reel that successfully captured the visual essence of the space and amplified the campaign hashtag, #BoxLunchxIndianaJones. This creator collaboration alone drove 1.49 million social impressions and nearly 7,400 social engagements, garnering an engagement rate of 0.49%.
“BoxLunch leveraged influencers like @kurttocci to amplify the hashtag for a structured approach to monitoring and leveraging influencer content so we could maximize campaign reach and engagement,” Curl-Medina explained.
Although the program “comprises pop culture enthusiasts with significant influence on social media,” BoxLunch and Lucasfilm had very specific campaign criteria, including factors such as follower count and engagement rates. But at a more fundamental level, the companies also prioritized “alignment with our values and target audience, and of course a passion for Lucasfilm fandoms like Indiana Jones,” she explained.
BoxLunch provided various content assets and amplification opportunities for the Collective members chosen to participate in the campaign. The retailer shared product showcases, sweepstakes announcements and even held Instagram Story event takeovers featuring the influencers.
“Influencers were also given the opportunity to handpick an item from the Indiana Jones collection to promote, allowing them to create content that reflected their unique personality and approach while aligning with the campaign’s goals,” Curl-Medina noted. BoxLunch used the GRIN marketing platform to effectively track all of the moving pieces of the influencer campaign.
“The campaign’s success generated significant foot traffic, social impressions and engagement rates, indicating that leveraging immersive experiences and influencer partnerships is effective in driving consumer interaction and brand awareness,” Curl-Medina said. “Future campaigns will continue to integrate these elements, with a focus on creating unique, engaging experiences and strategically selecting influencers to amplify the campaign’s reach.”
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