It’s Called a Hustle, Sweetheart: Meet the APAC Powerhouses Behind Zootopia 2 Disney Consumer Products Retail Activations
Disney Consumer Products invites audiences to dive into the worlds of beloved brands and franchises as they create major cultural moments around the globe. Behind some of your favorite retail activations stand six employees who worked to develop product campaigns that truly turned the floor into a zoo-ooh-ooh! Discover an inside look into Disney Consumer Products across APAC and learn more about the impactful, strategic and exciting project teams who delivered zoo-mazing Zootopia 2 retail campaigns.
Claire, Assistant Marketing Manager, China
After starting her career in finance, Claire was looking for a little more adventure. “I realized that wasn’t what I truly wanted to do, so in 2020, I joined The Walt Disney Company’s channel team, which was a big career shift for me.” What she learned from taking the leap was invaluable. “Disney has given me the chance to learn new skills, try different roles and grow in a more creative and inspiring environment.”
Just like Judy Hopps, Claire uses her creative problem-solving to her advantage. Her role is a mix of strategy, imagination and collaboration across teams and partners. “My main focus is planning year-round strategies to build franchises like Mickey & Friends, Stitch and Zootopia as long-term growth engines. On a typical day, I work on annual planning, campaign development and cross-team alignment, while also supporting the business team by pitching ideas and helping our licensees with product launches and marketing promotions,” she shared.
To support the release of Zootopia 2, her team’s marketing campaign delivered an end-to-end activation journey that combined rich content storytelling and close collaboration with the Disney Studios team to create large-scale online and offline retail activations. “One of the most memorable moments for me was during the Zootopia 2 Beijing premiere. I had the honor of taking Jared Bush, the co-director of Zootopia and Zootopia 2, to visit one of our Beijing mall activations. Seeing the co-director experience how the film’s world came to life through our retail and experiential setup was incredibly special and rewarding—it truly showed how the movie connected with fans beyond the cinema!”
Jihong, Business Manager, Korea
For Jihong, her background helped pave the way for her role at Disney. “I spent over eight years in the K-POP entertainment industry, which helped me understand the importance of creativity, partnerships and brand storytelling.”
Today, she manages all licensees within the Beauty and Consumer Electronics categories at Disney Consumer Products Korea. “From identifying potential brand partners and pitching Disney properties to contract execution, product development and marketing activations, I’m involved in the entire lifecycle of a collaboration,” she said.
Her favorite project? The Zootopia 2 x TONYMOLY collection. “The limited-edition collection transformed Zootopia 2 into a collectible, real-world beauty experience beyond the screen. It featured Judy and Nick across sixteen makeup items reimagined with iconic elements such as donuts and Pawpcicle motifs from the film.”
In the end, her true passions led her to where she was meant to be. “My passion for products (mainly shopping) led me to Disney Consumer Products, but Disney is a global company with so many different lines of business. If you feel that you could contribute somewhere within this world of storytelling and creativity, I would encourage you to explore the opportunities!”
Kenya, Associate Manager, Brand Commercialization, Japan
As an Associate Manager on the Brand Commercialization team in Japan, Kenya has spent 30 years creating consumer products magic - from sales and licensing to product storytelling and leadership roles.
Every day is a new opportunity to bring Disney Consumer Products brands from screen to shelf. “I analyze the current status of major retail channels, develop strategies and create an annual plan. I then discuss the annual plan with major retail partners to finalize it, provide feedback to the licensing department and have licensees commercialize products based on that plan. Finally, I work to market these products to major retail partners to secure shelf space and propose sales promotions and other initiatives to drive sales,” he explained.
While working on retail activations for Zootopia 2, Kenya was sure to be the right detective for the case. “Securing shelf space with the leading retailer in the character merchandise business was an absolute prerequisite for the success of the first Zootopia retail launch. To secure the space for Zootopia 2, we planned well in advance to be able to roll out the product line on the largest possible scale in time for the release of the second film.”
The most zoo-tastic part of his role? “I love bringing joy to guests, retailers, licensees and licensing representatives.”
Amanda, Manager, Retail Marketing, Singapore
A devoted Disney fan since birth, Amanda always knew her path would lead her to magical places. “I grew up watching endless hours on Disney Channel and have been to almost all the Disney Parks. It has always been my #1 brand to work for,” she explained. “What really pushed me to accept a role at Disney was watching Zootopia in cinemas. Judy Hopps really inspired me to not give up!"
Today, Amanda leads retail marketing for Disney Consumer Products Singapore, proudly overseeing all aspects of retail and marketing activations. From retail pop-ups in malls and campaigns in department stores to big-scale activations, Amanda does it all. “A day in my life spans reviews of marketing collateral from various licensees to planning activations with partners across attractions and mall categories and even getting sneak peeks of upcoming new and adorable products!”
As part of her role, Amanda recently had the opportunity to work on some major bunny business. “I led a project for Zootopia 2 where we did a takeover of the Singapore Zoo, theming various parts of the Zoo and having an activity trail with challenges and photo ops - all themed to Zootopia 2! We also took over sections of the Zoo’s retail store to bring in our licensees with Zootopia 2 merchandise.”
Amanda truly takes the bull by the horns to bring these iconic stories to shelves! “I value collaboration as both a skill and a mindset, as it allows me to work effectively with others, share ideas openly, and achieve stronger outcomes together than I could alone. Patience is key too, understanding that meaningful progress—whether in teamwork or personal growth—takes time and thoughtful effort. These qualities help me stay adaptable, supportive and focused, especially when navigating challenges or differing perspectives.”
Her advice for growing your career is paw-fect; “Dreams do come true; take the leap of faith and Try Everything with curiosity and courage!”
Georgi, Integrated Retail Manager, Australia & New Zealand
With her wide array of experience in marketing, Georgi brings a fresh perspective to her wild role as Integrated Retail Manager. She attends retailer meetings and internal working groups to ensure alignment across all categories and lines of business, conducting partner presentations and supporting day-to-day management and execution of retail partnerships. “It’s always exciting working on the larger-scale executions, including those moments that are supported by theatrical momentum. Our retailers really get behind content and see the impact Disney content drives across products and retail,” she said.
She recently had the opportunity to support Zootopia 2 – working on the launch from a retail perspective. “My favorite part about working on this Zootopia 2 project was getting to work closely with MINISO and the executional excellence they bring. It was also enjoyable working with other areas of our business and seeing how other markets were executing,” she recounted.
At the heart of the launch were fierce products for all to enjoy! “Across all MINISO stores, there were Zootopia 2 themed products everywhere you looked, right down to the ‘Fun Fur Every You’ shopping bags. Those shopping bags were a personal favorite of mine; I thought it was such a simple but clever way to celebrate our IP and partnership. I also loved the Nick and Judy ears, I saw quite a few people wearing those ears to the cinema to watch the film."
Amy, Marketing & Retail Manager, Taiwan
As a Disney veteran of 16 years, Amy’s role as a Marketing and Retail Manager for Disney Consumer Products Taiwan focuses on bringing beloved Disney stories to life through real-world consumer experiences.
When it came time for the release of the much-anticipated second Zootopia film, Amy’s expertise helped support the social and retail launch. “In Taiwan, we executed a collaboration across our Licensing partners, the Theatrical team, and Disney Studios Marketing to launch a highly successful themed pop-up store. The results were record-breaking—during weekends, the queue to enter the store reached three to four hours!”
Amy’s work extended beyond the shelf and into our social feeds! To amplify product visibility and drive sales, her team launched a comprehensive Instagram campaign. “We utilized diverse formats, including ‘Product Gift Guides,’ ‘Shopping Maps,’ ‘Zootopia Fun Facts Quizzes,’ and downloadable wallpapers and avatars.”
Her most notable feat? “One of the highlights was the launch of our Nick & Judy ‘Couple Profile Pictures.’ We created downloadable avatars for fans to use with their partners, perfectly tapping into the trending social conversation of Nick as the ‘ultimate boyfriend.’”
The numbers don’t lie: this strategy led to a zoo-prising surge in metrics, with post impressions growing by over 222% and post engagement skyrocketing by over 1888%, reaching 3.8 million impressions and 178K engagements within just one month.
Looking to follow in Nick and Judy’s pawprints and climb the corporate ladder? Hear Amy’s roar: “I believe agility and an open mindset are essential. You need to be ready to embrace every challenge and stay flexible in an ever-changing market to keep our brands relevant and exciting.”
