Disney is rolling out a summer campaign for its Learning products that not only encourages parents to download a mobile application, but also create a short video for a chance to win prizes.

The Disney Story Theater Film Festival Contest is being used to promote the Toy Story: Story Theater app that was recently launched. In addition to serving as a vessel for campaign entries, the app is also aimed at helping cement basic learning skills for children.

?The added incentive of having a contest with a free trip is a smart move,? said Joseph Eleam, account manager at SiteMinis, Atlanta.

?Most paid apps give you a game or a service,? he said. ?This app gives you that and a chance to take your family to Disneyland ? not a bad deal.?

Mr. Eleam is not affiliated with Disney. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Disney did not respond to press inquiries.

How it works
Disney?s Toy Story: Story Theater app is available for $2.99 in Apple?s App Store.

Via the app, kids can choose the characters, settings and the props to make their film.

Additionally, users can pick the music that goes into their clips.

The new app campaign runs through June 23 and encourages parents to work with their children to create a short video that is 60-seconds long or less.

By submitting a video, consumers are entered to win a trip for four to Disneyland Resort for the D23 Expo that takes place Aug. 9-11.

After the video is received, Disney will send consumers an entry form that they can fill out to confirm their video submission.

Additionally, the top 100 movies will be made available for consumers to vote on.

Disney is promoting the initiative via an email blast that was sent out on May 24 and encouraged consumers to download the company?s apps.

User-generated video
This is not the first time that Disney has recently relied on mobile video to bolster entries for a campaign.

In April, Disney leveraged mobile as part of a campaign for its Winnie the Pooh franchise.

Similar to the current campaign, parents were urged to work with their children to create a short video for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles and to be featured in a mobile app (see story).

Consumers love to take short videos via their mobile devices, and by adding an educational element to the app, parents are likely to use the app multiple times to help their children learn.

?App-based and mobile campaigns in general are still in their true infancy,? Mr. Eleam said.

?The MMA recently released a white paper detailing the economic impact of mobile marketing over the next few years and part of this, is the addition of one million new jobs in the field,? he said.

?It might not be true common place today, but I suspect it will be a part of most companies future strategies especially with the surge of mobile marketing personnel.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York