Disney Strategy - still need help

[disneygirl1980]

Hey friends -

I'm working on a paper and, in a quick nutshell, am trying to find info on Disney marketing -- the good (what wroks), the bad (what hasn't happened and needs to) and the ugly (what didn't work).

Specifically, I want info on the parks -- like Disneyworld, Disneyland, HKDL, etc.

The parks have such a legacy for inspiring imagination. How have they stayed a success?

Can anyone help? Or have thoughts to share? I'm having a tough time finding sources online. Books rec are great, too. Thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Before Michael Eisner and Frank Wells took over the leadership (in 1984) of what was then called Walt Disney Productions, Disneyland and Walt Disney World essentially didn't bother with paid advertising. Disney relied on word-of-mouth, free publicity (by courting the press), publicity through Disney's weekly television series, and promotion through associations and corporations (Magic Kingdom Club). Traditional advertising was pretty much limited to small ads in the entertainment section of newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, with listings of the bands that were appearing.

Around two decades ago, that changed in a big way. See "Work In Progress" by Michael Eisner with Tony Schwartz (Random House, New York, 1998). Television advertising for Disneyland and Walt Disney World became a common.

One particularly successful marketing campaign was the 25th anniversary of Walt Disney World, with the theme of "Remember the Magic." Advertising encouraged guests to visit Walt Disney World to relive their memories. There really weren't any significant new attractions. (Mainly, Cinderella Castle was made into a pink cake and there was new parade.) The marketing campaign carried the message that it was the right time for anyone who had visited Walt Disney World to make a return visit — and not to wait until after the 25th anniversary celebration was over. The campaign's success led to a series of such 15-18-month "celebrations" based on other milestones such as the Millennium, the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney's birth, and the 50th anniversary of Disneyland.

 

[disneygirl1980]

Horace -- this is awesome! Just the type of info I'm looking for. If you have any other sources or more wisdom to share, PLEASE do! I'll check out that book you mention.

Anyone else out there have any more info?

Thank you!

 

[rodkenrich]

Horace -- this is awesome! Just the type of info I'm looking for. If you have any other sources or more wisdom to share, PLEASE do! I'll check out that book you mention.

Anyone else out there have any more info?

Thank you!

Check out "Married To The Mouse" which examines the "economic-development marriage" between Orlando, Florida, and Walt Disney World, with the latter functioning as an urban entity.

 

[disneygirl1980]

friends -

any recommendations on online sources regarding disney marketing info would be SUPER appreciated. i really haven't found much to sync my teeth into. please let me know if you have any info to share. thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Walt Disney World is a big economic force and a huge employer in Orlando, so WDW is covered extensively by Orlando's business press.

A good source for business articles about Disney theme park marketing is http://www.bizjournals.com/ which includes The Orlando Business Journal. You'll have to register, but registration is free. You can easily search back many years.

For current Disney business news, see http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/

You might want to use Google to research Disney's current global theme park marketing, The Year of a Million Dreams.

Good luck!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Some interesting comments here: http://www.disneyfrontier.com/2007/01/25/disney-director-of-pr-speaks-in-reno