Jim Hill: The Hercules Electrical Parade

[All Aboard]

All I could think about while reading this was AV saying "it's the story that sells the film, not marketing." Seems Eisner and Crew haven't realized this for quite some time now...
The Hercules Electrical Parade

 

[Peter Pirate]

But, I have no problem with this marketing ploy (for Herc) nor did I with the PH extravaganza. Disney has always been "out there" in the marketing dept...But I wholeheartedly agree that if the presentation doesn't live up to the promotion (or at least come close), you kind of look like the guy who has just stomped that mysterioius burning bag on the front porch!

 

[Jaypd]

I have to say I remember this Clearly...I got to work the Parade (In case you dont know NYC Police Officer) What a blast we all had...I got to mingle with all the Dosney fans as well as see a chance of a lifetime parade. The only bad thing was WAY to many people showed up. At one point people were not able to get close anymore due to the large crowd and lots of kids.

Over all it was blast and I wish I had a camera with me that day

 

[airlarry!]

I love these special Disney marketing parades. It makes the premiere of one of their animated features feel like a magical event.

I was lucky enough to attend the Hunchback of Notre Dame parade, but not lucky enough to score seats to its premiere. The parade was held in New Orleans, in honor of the French architecture in the movie and the city.

The parade was awesome, amazing, almost like a Day at WDW. I guess that is why I am biased a bit toward Hunchback, which has always been one of my favorite Disney movies.

Anyway, I have no problem with these events. Just couple them with a movie with a little heart and magic. And maybe an attraction or two at the parks. That, Mr. Eisner, is the real synergy.

 

[Another Voice]

The sad fact these days is the given enough of an marketing campaign, I could get home movies of my high school graduation to a $30 million opening weekend. It’s the second weekend where I’d have the problems.

One aspect left out of the article is that the parade had as much to do with Disney’s campaign to own Times Square as it did with ‘Hercules’. Disney received a lot of money and support from the city for the redevelopment effort, so the there’s been a fair amount of payback in these movie premier events (as well as getting a lot of people to visit Disney’s Time Square location and a lot of favorable press for Mr. Mouse). Despite the pretense of California Adventure, Mr. Eisner is a New York City boy and that’s where his true passion lies.

What is mind-blowing is how many times Disney fails to learn the basic lesson about hype. Not only ‘Pearl Harbor’ and ‘Hercules’, but go back to ‘Dick Tracy’ which was the previous marketing budget record holder. If they had redirected a little of the marketing money and come up with a decent script – all three of those films could have been giant hits. Too rushed, too little development, too much hype always equals too little box office.

On the whole Electrical Parade issue – it’s rating about a zero on the California Interest Meter. The public just really doesn’t care, although to be fair there’s been no advertising yet. Obviously even Disney knows that parade won’t be a draw and it hit the kids-are-free panic button earlier than anyone thought. The only ones upset by the “return” are the only group that seems to like California Adventure – the annual pass holders. My personal opinion is that they dislike the idea is because the eBay value of there “Glowing Away Forever” treasure trove is falling faster than Yahoo stock.