Bob Iger leaves Trump's advisory council

[dlavender]

I am disappointed in Iger. It's a copout. You made a COMMITMENT, follow through or admit you are a quitter.

I don't think he's on these boards....

 

[Jaybrad]

Yes they are. And Iger's making a lot of the same mistakes that Eisner did before his forced departure from Disney.



This is exactly the problem. He joined and then left before they could even meet. This polarizes Disney's potential audience, making the company and brand LESS valuable, overall. That's a big part of the CEO's job of a company--protect the brand and the strategy of a company. He just showed the public that he has no strategy.



Okay, let's suppose you're right. Should all protesters protesting Trump go home because they're not being listened to also? Why would they waste their time protesting?

My point is, regardless of Trump's opinion, if he's listening, or whatever--this looks incredibly stupid and indecisive of Iger. He would have been better off not getting involved in the first place. And when he did, there's no way he should have quit as a protest for something politically motivated.



Right, but most of Disney's profits and revenue are tied directly to the United States. This kind of controversy is not a risk worth taking.

If Iger had remained neutral and didn't do anything, no further consequences would have happened. He should actively try not to be political and polarizing. Again, this alienates half of the potential audience in the US!

Now, people WILL be outraged and some people will buy different products / go different places for vacation / not consider Disney in the same light. There's no positive upside for Disney to any of Iger's actions.

No one is going to call up their travel agent and say, "Wow! Iger just quit Trump's advisory committee! Just because he did that, I'm brining my family to Disneyland!" People WILL have the opposite reaction, though.



I saw your response to my post as well.

I'm not discussing politics, whatsoever. I have made no pro- or anti- Trump statement.

I'm discussing the incredible mis-management of the Walt Disney Company right now, as reflected in the news. Here we have a CEO who literally joined the council (and caught negative press for it) and then left it without attending it (and got more negative press for it). This was incredibly stupid and short sighted of Iger. What he did was just polarize half of the US with respect to Disney. Disney IS a brand. Probably, one of the most important, enduring American brands. And, to that note...



Walt wouldn't be proud of Iger for these (and other) incredibly indecisive and devise moves from a corporate management perspective. Rather, Walt Disney (and especially Roy) would have had VERY little patience for this kind of stuff. Iger's received bi-partisan criticism for quite a while, again, as he's been falling into traps that previous corporate managers of Disney fell into.

Further, Walt would likely be offended by you saying that you're prouder to be a Disney fan than an American. He'd tell you that without America, even with its many flaws, there is no Disney. Not in California, not in Florida, and not anywhere abroad.

If you need proof of this, note the fact that Disney's first animatronic human character was Abraham Lincoln from "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln." Patriotism was an important thing to Walt Disney.

Edit: Added "Human" Character to Abe, and grammar / etc.

Thank you!!

 

[jkiszka]

Actually, if you read Disney's quarterly reports and financial statements, the overwhelming majority of their billions in revenue and profit is due to their media in terms of their movies, TV (ABC, etc). And those are worldwide ventures.

Okay. Where's the lion's share of their media produced?

Where's Pixar? (Bay Area) How about the Walt Disney Corporate HDQ? (Burbank / LA) What about ESPN? (Bristol, CT)

What's the attendance of the parks in the US versus abroad? (Looking at 2015 numbers--for every two people that enter a Disney park abroad, about 3 and a half enter one in the United States.)

Iger's actions are HEAVILY tied to the US.

I'd be happy to analyze the 10K for you, if you like. When I said the profits and revenues were "tied to the US" I don't mean "explicitly from."

Edit: for clarification.

 

[earfulofmagic]

I don't think he's on these boards....

I was just wondering about this, but not DIS specifically. I wonder if Bob Iger has ever participated in an online forum.

 

[dlavender]

I think this really just comes down to a personal bias issue.

Some fans of the current sitting president will be upset by the move. It's like when a free agent leaves your team, you can't help but be upset. I get it. Sometimes it seems like a bigger issue in the moment than it really is.

To the casual observer, I think they read it and say, "huh, ok, what's for dinner?"

To those who oppose the current sitting president, they applaud the move. They feel like the free agent has chosen them, using the same analogy.

But I really doubt the reactions out of any three of those groups will move the needle in either direction, financially speaking.

 

[earfulofmagic]

Okay. Where's the lion's share of their media produced?

Where's Pixar? (Bay Area) How about the Walt Disney Corporate HDQ? (Burbank / LA) What about ESPN? (Bristol, CT)

What's the attendance of the parks in the US versus abroad? (Looking at 2015 numbers--for every two people that enter a Disney park abroad, about 3 and a half enter one in the United States.)

Iger's actions are HEAVILY tied to the US.

I'd be happy to analyze the 10K for you, if you like.

So... because their media is produced here, you think that's going to affect... what? The employees are going to quit?

 

[earfulofmagic]

I think this really just comes down to a personal bias issue.

Some fans of the current sitting president will be upset by the move. It's like when a free agent leaves your team, you can't help but be upset. I get it. Sometimes it seems like a bigger issue in the moment than it really is.

To the casual observer, I think they read it and say, "huh, ok, what's for dinner?"

To those who oppose the current sitting president, they applaud the move. They feel like the free agent has chosen them, using the same analogy.

But I really doubt the reactions out of any three of those groups will move the needle in either direction, financially speaking.

Agreed.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I think this really just comes down to a personal bias issue

Disagree. This is NOT a fan problem. The issue is Iger accepted an invitation and did not keep the commitment. It's disrespectful to our country AND other board members

 

[rteetz]

Disagree. This is NOT a fan problem. The issue is Iger accepted an invitation and did not keep the commitment. It's disrespectful to our country AND other board members

Iger has a commitment to the Walt Disney Company as well. If something for the company is happening he must go to that. There has been talk that members of the Disney board wanted him to resign as well.

 

[rteetz]

I was just wondering about this, but not DIS specifically. I wonder if Bob Iger has ever participated in an online forum.

I doubt it. There are people within Disney and such who are purposely told to look over sites like this.

 

[dlavender]

Disagree. This is NOT a fan problem. The issue is Iger accepted an invitation and did not keep the commitment. It's disrespectful to our country AND other board members

I would wager that if you polled those who didn't like the move, 80-90% would be fans of the current president.

If you polled those who applaud the move, 80-90% would not be fans of the current president.

You disagree with that?

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

I don't disagree but don't commit if you have no intentions to follow through. His weak excuses tell me it was not important to him.
A simple, "no thank you, I have other obligations" would have been far more professional.

 

[dlavender]

I don't disagree but don't commit if you have no intentions to follow through. His weak excuses tell me it was not important to him.
A simple, "no thank you, I have other obligations" would have been far more professional.

I guess....

But like I said, its only a portion of the current president's fans that will be upset. And out of those, about none of them will actually cancel a WDW vacation over it.

I do think if when offered a spot, if he declined, it would have been a larger deal than his exit now is.

So in that respect, he played his hand pretty well.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

See and I think he looks like a flip flopping irresponsible person.
Make the decision. If you can't or don't want to, that's fine but decline graciously and send your gratitude for the consideration.
If you accept, be honorable and follow through. Don't use someone else as an excuse that you didn't even try.
How many meetings did he make it to?
Zero. He did nothing.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They're all leaving because of the ill advised climate decision...it's the billionaire "thing to do" this week

 

[earfulofmagic]

I doubt it. There are people within Disney and such who are purposely told to look over sites like this.

I know, but not DIS specifically. (Any employee of Disney, to keep sane, should probably stay away from the DIS )

I was letting my imagination run with thoughts like: maybe he has fantasy soccer teams and is anonymously interacting with others on a fantasy soccer forum.

Of course, I don't really think he uses his personal time to participate in an online forum, but it's a fun thought.

 

[dlavender]

See and I think he looks like a flip flopping irresponsible person.
Make the decision. If you can't or don't want to, that's fine but decline graciously and send your gratitude for the consideration.
If you accept, be honorable and follow through. Don't use someone else as an excuse that you didn't even try.
How many meetings did he make it to?
Zero. He did nothing.

That is one viewpoint.

Does it impact sales? I still say not.

 

[OKW Lover]

Interesting that some people complained when Bob decided to be on the panel in the first place. Now we have people complaining that he is leaving.

 

[jkiszka]

Maybe, but I still have 100% doubt that anyone booking a vacation thinks about his time on this counsel.

I do think you are right in the sense that CEO's and public faces of companies need to be careful in their actions because they can have negative financial ramifications.

I just don't think this is a scenario that WDW shareholders should be concerned about.

ETA: Are you going to stop going because of this?

I guess....

But like I said, its only a portion of the current president's fans that will be upset. And out of those, about none of them will actually cancel a WDW vacation over it.

I do think if when offered a spot, if he declined, it would have been a larger deal than his exit now is.

So in that respect, he played his hand pretty well.

Actually, I had two planned (3rd week of this month to Disneyland and the week of 9/16-24 to WDW) which I was about to book, but now, to be honest, I'm having some second thoughts.

So... because their media is produced here, you think that's going to affect... what? The employees are going to quit?

The entire brand. That would include everything--media, parks, merchandise, computer and video games, retail--the whole 9 yards. In the US, we vote with our dollar!

Disagree. This is NOT a fan problem. The issue is Iger accepted an invitation and did not keep the commitment. It's disrespectful to our country AND other board members

Yup.

Iger has a commitment to the Walt Disney Company as well. If something for the company is happening he must go to that. There has been talk that members of the Disney board wanted him to resign as well.

I guarantee you that not all board members were on board with that decision. But ultimately, it's Bob Iger who was on the committee, not the Walt Disney Company. So, Iger really should have the right to make the final say.

But it does make him look like a moron.

I would wager that if you polled those who didn't like the move, 80-90% would be fans of the current president.

If you polled those who applaud the move, 80-90% would not be fans of the current president.

You disagree with that?

No, in fact, I totally agree with that.

That proves my point about how Iger's move essentially polarizes and alienates half of the market. (I don't think Disney would be well equipped for an 80 - 90% drop in sales!)

Him joining the council would have a negative opinion of him doing so, and literally the other half of people would have an opinion the other way now that he's leaving the council. It's stupid at both times, but even dumber now. (At least through joining the council, you can make the argument that Iger initially tried to make, being "in the room where it happens" (i.e. - where decisions are made.))

Sources of him actually saying that, and making the argument to counter the criticism when he joined:
http://money.cnn.com/2017/03/08/media/bob-iger-disney-ceo-donald-trump/
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...r-asked-participation-trump-task-force-984398
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-...-iger-defends-trump-1488997088-htmlstory.html

 

[earfulofmagic]

The entire brand. That would include everything--media, parks, merchandise, computer and video games, retail--the whole 9 yards. In the US, we vote with our dollar!

I highly doubt this will negatively impact Disney's bottom line whatsoever. This is a non-event in terms of their revenue.

Color me impressed if Disney suffers an "80-90% drop in sales" over Iger leaving this council.