Disney partners with Ancestry.co.uk for Warhorse release

Disney is partnering with history website Ancestry.co.uk for the launch of Stephen Spielberg’s upcoming Dreamworks film production of War Horse, the latest brand partnership to come from its recently launched Disneymedia+ venture.

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The film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s World War I novel is due to be released in the UK on 13 January 2012.

The Disney and Ancestry partnership will include TV and print advertising, created by VCCP, due to break between Christmas and New Year to drive awareness of the film’s launch and Ancestry’s involvement.

There will also be co-branded Facebook promotional activity and exclusive content available to Ancestry.co.uk users.

Ancestry.co.uk’s international commerce and business development director Angela Crouch says: “Our members will absolutely love this film and the war-related theme fits perfectly with our unrivalled historical archives which document the human heroes of so many historic conflicts.”

Ancestry.co.uk claims to have the most comprehensive collection of WWI military records available online, including British Army WWI Service and Pension Records and WWI Medal Index cards, and is a resource for anyone interested in researching their ancestors.

War Horse has been a stage production since 2007, dubbed “the theatrical event of the decade” by The Sunday Times, and is currently showing in London’s West End and New York’s Broadway. It is due to launch in Canada and tour the US in 2012.

Disneymedia+ was launched in April to boost the number of multiplatform commercial deals between its content and brand partners. It has previously forged partnerships between car brand Seat and Pirates of the Carribean.

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