Disney Planning Video - Spaceship Earth w/o the Hand???

[maui2k5]

I was just watching the online versions of the Disney Vacation Planning videos on disneyworld.com and noticed that all of the shots of Spaceship Earth did NOT show the Mickey Hand holding the Epcot sign above Spaceship Earth. Could be they are just reusing old video and do not see a reason to reshoot the scene, but I did find it interesting and made me wish that was the way it looked again. Spaceship Earth seemed so clean and sleek without the Mickey Hand - maybe there is still hope it will come down one day... I know others like it and feel it is a good addition, but when I looked at the video today, it did make me wish more that the classic look was back...

Anyone else notice this in the video?

 

[civileng68]

Yes, I noticed it as well. However, I SERIOUSLY doubt it has anything to do with future plans.

There have been Disney media items out since the day the "arm and wand" went up that show it without.

In fact, many media photos of Spaceship Earth that are used today are the old photos.

I think it's just a promotional thing. With promotion they are going to use the more "clean" version.

I also think some of it may be to remove the whole "Mickey Mouse" idea from the advertising since the competitor across town uses the whole "pixie dust" idea to lure people away from disney to the "more mature" park (as they like to portray) in Universal.

I just think it's Disney's way of promoting to a more mature audience.

 

[maui2k5]

It would be kind of ironic in a way that Disney wants to promote their parks differently than they really are (or at least perceived). Is the Universal Pixie Dust commercial having any kind of an impact in Orlando on how Disney is perceived?

 

[civileng68]

It would be kind of ironic in a way that Disney wants to promote their parks differently than they really are (or at least perceived). Is the Universal Pixie Dust commercial having any kind of an impact in Orlando on how Disney is perceived?

Well as someone who is involved in corporate advertising, I'd say that the parks may be mostly for children but advertising is geared towards the people who have to make the buying decision. So, the advertising has to be directed to the adults, parents, college students, who can make the decision to go to the parks on their own. The only way the company would likely directly promote to children is to try to have the children influence their parents to get them there. However, this is indirect and likely much less effective than promoting directly to the adults. Not to mention it also reaches those like myself (26 and married) who dont have kids and like the more adult side of Disney.

I dont think the Universal advertising works really "against" disney, but it DOES seperate them from disney. I think they want people to know they are different and on a more adult side of things.

I am sure there's even more to the reasoning for the classic look, but, Im sure alot of it has to do with maturity, the "Classic" appeal, in that it looks the same now as it did when I was a child, without too many people changing it.

While Disney is about Mickey Mouse, Im sure the company wants to convey more to prospective visitors than Mickey Mouse, and to the person who has never been to Disney, and is viewing the promotional material, Disney may feel that by them seeing a massive Mickey Hand on the "ball", that it looks a bit childish and may actually encourage visitors to go to Universal.

Though they only verbally jab on a very slight way, they are competitors in the heaviest business sense, but you'll never really see that since without the one, the other would never be as powerful in drawing as many people to Orlando as there currently are.

 

[SueM in MN]

I've noticed that some of the promotional/trip planning video sometimes uses really old footage. My youngest DD bought some of the park DVDs a year ago and some of the ride footage they use in those is really ancient. Sometimes I think someone is told they need some footage of a particular ride or area and just pulls it from a file, without really paying attention to it.

 

[civileng68]

I've noticed that some of the promotional/trip planning video sometimes uses really old footage. My youngest DD bought some of the park DVDs a year ago and some of the ride footage they use in those is really ancient. Sometimes I think someone is told they need some footage of a particular ride or area and just pulls it from a file, without really paying attention to it.

Sue, while I can see that someone would think that, I can tell you that, as I am on a marketing committee, and I would assume that Disney's marketing team is probably the best in the country.........................that those videos are completely by design of a marketing team.

Please note, Im not saying this to disagree but more to just shed light on the marketing side of a corporation.

Marketing teams are very maticulous and very detail oriented and in fact, very creative. With that said, I assure you that the video was never just put in without paying attention. Those promo videos are likely taken with upmost thought by a marketing team.

I am SURE they have a reason for the video and photos you see. I often times get frustrated in marketing sessions because you have 10 creative thinkers in one room debating creative style over something that the average person would think was absolutely rediculous and had no effect on the outcome of the project. These discussions over the most minute things can go on for over an hour and even sometimes days.

Disney I am sure hires the best marketing staff (or of the best) in the world. Disney also puts alot of money into advertising and if the marketing team wanted, they would have new video shot for anything they needed. It's for a reason.

As a marketing mind, I would (though I dont know, IM not in their meetings) would think it has to do with the "Classic" mindset and the "adult" and "mature" idea of it.

The "Classic" idea is the same reason why some very old attractions that may not be the most popular have never been changed. They want you to come back with your kids and take them on the rides that your parents took you on. They pride themselves on lacking generational gaps.