Disney’s nostalgic and escapist content helped consumers feel connected during the first year of the pandemic.

Disney’s nostalgic and escapist content helped consumers feel connected during the first year of the pandemic. After experiencing a 74% year-over-year increase in global viewership of its video content across all social platforms, Disney dove into its social media data to discover what was fueling this growth. The entertainment giant used proprietary and industry data to examine what content / programming people were watching across the Walt Disney Company and what they engaged most with on social media. Escape, believe, connect, represent, and change were five major themes Disney found in examining what content people engaged with most in 2020, noting significant growth with its National Geographic content—especially on Instagram—as people craved travel and adventure. Nostalgic content also boomed, with a 30% increase in viewership for this type of content as audiences “sought out content that reminded them of more certain times.” YPulse’s recent media consumption data shows that 34% of Gen Z and 39% of Millennials use Disney+ to watch video content weekly or more often, and as nostalgia / escapist marketing continues popping up, giving young consumers a taste of simpler times is one way to connect with them. (Adweek)