Target Animation Studio at D23Expo – Award Submission

Disney approached Target with an opportunity to sponsor their popular fan convention, D23EXPO – The ultimate fan event to celebrate the past, present and future of the Company Walt Disney founded in 1923. Target wanted to provide guests an exclusive experience, outside of typical sponsorship activations, that would truly enhance the brand. How could Target become a part of the cultural conversation happening at D23EXPO and stand out in a sea of all the beloved characters and brands?

Our idea centered around the zoetrope, one of several pre-film animation devices that Walt Disney himself spoke about. In fact, we created the booth to look like a giant zoetrope for guests to enter. Inside Target Animation Studio, (one of the few interactive experiences on the show floor), guests learned about the history of animation and the zoetrope, viewed zoetrope animations of their favorite Target and Disney characters Bullseye and Mickey, and finally – created and experienced their very own zoetrope animation live.

As the host of the experience, we knew we had to bring Target’s icon, Bullseye to life in a special way. We commissioned custom illustrations from Josh Ellingson, popular San Francisco illustrator, to do just that. We worked with Ellingson and Disney to create twelve-frame custom zoetrope animation strips that were used in large-scale zoetropes stationed throughout the line. Brand Ambassadors prompted guests to give the zoetropes a spin to reveal the Bullseye and Mickey animations, giving them a preview of what they were about to experience and create. Fans created 3,251 zoetrope animations.

We imagined and produced an interactive experience that both celebrated the history of animation while making an emotional and memorable connection between the estimated 7,000+ Disney fans and Target.

“That was so much fun, I never knew about the zoetrope. I love Target!” – Fan