Disney's consumer products chief resigns

[Oglet]

I would like to believe that this is a good thing.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's consumer products chief resigned on Tuesday to pursue other leadership roles, after running the unit for nearly 12 years.

Andrew Mooney, known for creating the popular Disney Princess franchise, "has decided to resign from his post," Disney said in a statement. A replacement has not been named.

In an email to employees that was released by Disney, Mooney thanked Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger "for his understanding in my desire to pursue other ambitions."

Mooney, 55, said it was the "perfect time" to take his experience at Disney and, before that, at shoe and apparel maker Nike "into a leadership role with another organization and corporate boards."

A source familiar with the matter said Mooney had reached the point where he wanted to run his own company and to consider offers to serve on corporate boards. Disney forbids its executives from sitting on other companies' boards.

Revenue at Consumer Products, the second fastest growing Disney segment, climbed 13 percent to $685 million in the quarter ended July 2, accounting for just above 6 percent of the theme park operator and media company's total revenue that quarter.

Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce said Mooney may already have fielded CEO offers from other companies after a solid record at Disney.

"He's done a good job there. The consumer products division is integral to the overall brand and character development at Disney," Joyce said.

A native of Scotland, Mooney created the Disney Princess franchise, bringing Disney's Snow White, Cinderella and other princesses under one umbrella.

He also oversaw the merchandising of characters from popular films such as "Toy Story" and "Cars" and revamped the retail Disney Stores. He will stay at Disney through the end of the month, which marks the end of Disney's fiscal year.

"Not only has he consistently delivered business results year after year, but his focus on the Disney brand and the creation of new franchises like Disney Princess will leave a legacy for decades," Iger said in a statement.

Before joining Disney, Mooney spent 20 years at Nike, rising to chief marketing officer.

Shares of Disney were trading 2.2 percent lower at $31.75 in late afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange, a steeper drop than the 1.3 percent decline in the Standard & Poor's media index.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Steve Orlofsky, Gary Hill)

Source
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...ertre785551-20110906,0,363154.story?track=rss

 

[tinkrebell]

I think he did a great job adding Disney Princesses. Finally, costumes!, even if I'm too old to use them.

But do I now have grand dreams of better quality merchandise in every way shape and form?

Absolutely

 

[nytimez]

I'll have to take the negative view of this. As bad as consumer products are now, whoever comes in next will be under immediate pressure to outdo his predecessor. And that means even shoddier products for still-higher prices.

However, I will say it was a brilliant marketing move to bring the princesses under one umbrella. That's a huge feather in his cap, even if most of us (or at least me) are tired of the over-marketing of the princesses.

 

[lugnut33]

Maybe they will just put it under Meg Crofton's umbrella?

 

[robertdangelo]

Hopefully his replacement will see the benefit of offering more Resort Specific items again... especially DVC resorts. Not only do they make $ selling them... it's a form of advertising.

 

[DizCaptain]

Hopefully his replacement will see the benefit of offering more Resort Specific items again... especially DVC resorts. Not only do they make $ selling them... it's a form of advertising.

I couldn't agree more. I miss the resort specific merchandise from t shirts to even just the resort mugs. Also back in the day when they were mugs for life, but baby steps I guess...

 

[OldsDr]

I know this guy was for all of Disney and not just the parks, but I remeber when Each land at Magic Kingdom had their own plastic mugs for Soda. (early 90s I believe) We bought sodas just to get the mugs. I know the econimics behind buy in bulk , but with the cost of soda and cups, with what they charge I have to think that overall the people who would buy soda just to get the different cup would more than make up for the advantage of buy cups for the whole resort on one P.O.


That is just one example, of other similar items. Every resort used to have their own style dring stirers, I still have todem poles from the pool bar at WL..

I think these people have trouble looking at things from different points of view and loose sight of the big picture, so you get lower quality less diverse merchandise at ever increasing prices. So to make up for lower sales (which I have no inside information and am speculating) they lower quality and quantity and it ends up in a Domino effect.

 

[ThurlFan]

I couldn't agree more. I miss the resort specific merchandise from t shirts to even just the resort mugs.

Agreed!

 

[MinnieLynnie]

I couldn't agree more. I miss the resort specific merchandise from t shirts to even just the resort mugs.

Me too! My Caribbean Beach T-Shirt is thread-bare, but I won't get rid of it because there's nothing out there to replace it. Fingers crossed that we'll see more resort-specific merchandise SOON!

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'll have to take the negative view of this. As bad as consumer products are now, whoever comes in next will be under immediate pressure to outdo his predecessor. And that means even shoddier products for still-higher prices.

However, I will say it was a brilliant marketing move to bring the princesses under one umbrella. That's a huge feather in his cap, even if most of us (or at least me) are tired of the over-marketing of the princesses.

I have to disagree with you completely...

Only because the 'wishful thinking' side of my brain is in charge today. The logical side knows you're 115% correct.

 

[Disneyman_10]

I know this guy was for all of Disney and not just the parks, but I remeber when Each land at Magic Kingdom had their own plastic mugs for Soda. (early 90s I believe) We bought sodas just to get the mugs. I know the econimics behind buy in bulk , but with the cost of soda and cups, with what they charge I have to think that overall the people who would buy soda just to get the different cup would more than make up for the advantage of buy cups for the whole resort on one P.O.


That is just one example, of other similar items. Every resort used to have their own style dring stirers, I still have todem poles from the pool bar at WL..

I think these people have trouble looking at things from different points of view and loose sight of the big picture, so you get lower quality less diverse merchandise at ever increasing prices. So to make up for lower sales (which I have no inside information and am speculating) they lower quality and quantity and it ends up in a Domino effect.

Weren't those the days?
I still have my mugs and memories of getting them. I believe you were right, early 90s. You wouldn't be able to find Epcot stuff at MK like u can know.

 

[nytimez]

On the past few trips, I've actually seen small attempts here and there and making unique merch. And I hate to say it, but it looks like they don't know how to do it anymore.

Take the Orange Bird stuff. They had a shirt that said "SQUEEZE ME" on it in Epcot. This would be a perfect shirt for a little kid -- but it was only made in adult women's sizes (and I did ask at the time and they told me it wasn't made in kids' sizes).

On a kid, it's cute. On a woman, it's a Hooters shirt.

I first saw it in spring. By the end of this summer, it was on the discount rack at the back of the American pavilion. Are they really having a hard time figuring out why no one bought it?

Similarly, they've finally started making some 40th anniversary merch and some retro products -- and some of it is ugly as sin. There's a line of "it's a small world" merch that features redesigned art -- not the classic Mary Blair stuff. It doesn't look different, and it doesn't look like a new spin on a classic. It just looks... off.

On the flipside, earlier this year I picked up a retro-style Mickey Mouse Club pilsner glass. It's a beer glass... with little kids dancing on it. It's so wrong it's right! Naturally, I didn't see on the most recent trip. Oh well...

 

[tiki23]

The new chief ought to talk to the Disney Mom's panel about re-thinking merchandise and read a few of these threads!

It's not just resort specific merchandise that is needed/desired but also any unique merchandise. I now find better quality and more interesting Disney merchandise at Target and Walmart than I do at the parks!

I used to spend so much time looking in all the stores at the different parks...and buying unique items as I came across them because I wasn't sure if I would find the item again. And this wasn't sometime in the misty past, our 1st WDW trip wasn't until 2006! This last trip I barely bought anything, it was all so ho-hum.