The Walt Disney Studios

You might also like

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 8

Since its founding in 1923, The Walt Disney Company and its affiliated companies have

remained faithful to their commitment to produce unparalleled entertainment experiences based


on the rich legacy of quality creative content and exceptional storytelling. The Walt Disney
Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international
family entertainment and media enterprise with four business segments: media networks, parks
and resorts, studio entertainment and consumer products.

The Walt Disney Studios


The Walt Disney Studios is the foundation on which Disney was built, and at its heart are world-
renowned animated features and live-action motion pictures. With the creation of Mickey Mouse
and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the world's first full-length animated feature, the Disney
name quickly became synonymous with quality entertainment for the whole family.

The Walt Disney Studios distributes motion pictures under Walt Disney
Pictures - which includes Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar
Animation Studios and DisneyToon Studios - Touchstone Pictures,
Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films. Walt Disney Studios Motion
Pictures International serves as the studio's international distribution
arm. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment distributes Disney and
other film titles to the rental and sell-through home entertainment
markets worldwide. Disney Theatrical Productions,one of the largest
producers of Broadway musicals, also includes Disney Live Family
Entertainment and Disney on Ice. Disney Music Group distributes
original music and motion picture soundtracks under Walt Disney Records, Hollywood Records,
and Lyric Street Records. Advancing its strategy of developing outstanding creative content,
Disney acquired renowned computer animation leader Pixar in an all-stock transaction
completed in May 2006. In February 2007, The Walt Disney Studios joined forces with
Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis and his ImageMovers partners/producers
Jack Rapke and Steve Starkey to form ImageMovers Digital, a new state of the art studio
devoted exclusively to the production of performance capture projects.

Parks and Resorts


Disney's Parks and Resorts is not just home to Disney's beloved characters but the place "Where
Dreams Come True." The segment traces its roots to 1952, when Walt Disney formed what is
today known as Walt Disney Imagineering to build Disneyland Park in
Anaheim, California.

Since then, Parks and Resorts has grown to encompass the world-class
Disney Cruise Line, eight Disney Vacation Club resorts (with more than
100,000 members), Adventures by Disney (immersive Disney-guided
travel around the world), and five resort locations (encompassing 11
theme parks, including some owned or co-owned by independent entities)
on three continents:

Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California


Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida
Tokyo Disney Resort, Urayasu, Chiba
Disneyland Resort Paris, Marne La Valle, France
Hong Kong Disneyland, Penny's Bay, Lantau Island

Wherever the Guest experience takes place � in our parks, on the high seas, on a guided tour of
exotic locales, through our vacation ownership program -- we remain dedicated to the promise
that our Cast members turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Making dreams come true every
day is central to our global growth strategy.

Disney Consumer Products


Disney merchandising began in 1929 when Walt Disney was approached by a businessman
interested in placing Mickey Mouse on the cover of a children's writing tablet. Disney Consumer
Products and affiliates (DCP) extend the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel,
toys, home décor and books and magazines to interactive games, foods and beverages,
stationery, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through DCP's various lines of business
which include: Disney Toys, Disney Apparel, Accessories & Footwear, Disney Food, Health &
Beauty, Disney Home and Disney Stationery.

Disney Publishing Worldwide (DPW) is the world's largest publisher of


children’s books and magazines, reaching more than 100 million
readers each month in 75 countries. Disney's imprints include Disney
Libri, Hyperion Books for Children, Jump at the Sun, Disney Press, and
Disney Editions.

Other businesses involved in Disney's consumer products sales are


disneystore.com, the company's official shopping portal and the Disney stores retail chain. The
Disney stores retail chain, which debuted in 1987, is owned and operated by an unaffiliated third
party in Japan under a license agreement with The Walt Disney Company.� Disney owns and
operates the Disney Store chain in North America and Europe.

Media Networks
Media Networks comprise a vast array of broadcast, cable, radio, publishing and Internet
businesses. Key areas include: Disney-ABC Television Group, ESPN Inc., Walt Disney Internet
Group, ABC owned television stations, and a supporting headquarters group. Marketing,
research, sales and communications functions also exist within the segment.

The Disney-ABC Television Group is home to all of Disney's worldwide


entertainment and news television properties. The Group includes the
ABC Television Network (including ABC Daytime, ABC Entertainment
Group and ABC News divisions); the Disney Channels Worldwide global
kids' TV business, ABC Family and SOAPnet; as well as television
distribution divisions Disney-ABC Domestic Television and Disney-
ABC ESPN Television. The Disney-ABC Television Group also
manages the Radio Disney Network, general interest and non-fiction
book imprint Hyperion, as well the Company's equity interest in A&E
Television Networks.
ESPN, Inc., The Worldwide Leader in Sports, is the leading multinational, multimedia sports
entertainment company featuring the broadest portfolio of multimedia sports assets with over 50
business entities. Sports media assets include ESPN on ABC, six domestic cable television
networks (ESPN, launched in 1979; ESPN2; ESPN Classic; ESPNEWS; ESPN Deportes;
ESPNU), ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD (high-definition simulcast services of ESPN and ESPN2,
respectively), ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (31 international networks and
syndication), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN Zones
(sports-themed restaurants licensed by ESPN), and other growing new businesses including
ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Properties (wireless), ESPN On Demand, ESPN
Interactive and ESPN PPV. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc.,
which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20
percent interest in ESPN.

About Disney Interactive Media Group


The Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG) is a segment of The Walt Disney Company
(NYSE: DIS) responsible for the creation and delivery of Disney branded interactive
entertainment and informational content across multiple platforms including online, mobile and
video game consoles around the globe. DIMG core businesses include Disney Interactive
Studios, which self publishes and distributes a broad portfolio of multi-platform video games,
mobile games and interactive entertainment worldwide; and Disney Online, which produces the
No. 1 Community-Family & Parenting Web site and an industry-leading suite of online virtual
worlds for kids and families.
1
Since this is an integrated website, which includes references to The Walt Disney Company and/or its affiliated entities, "Disney" or the "Company"
means, as appropriate, either The Walt Disney Company and/or one or more of its affiliated companies.

Strengths

•    It is the largest media and entertainment company in the world.

•    It has become one of the biggest Hollywood studios.

•    Disney Company owns 11 theme parks and several channels.

•    Disney employees 150,000 people.

•    Innovative ideas

•    Global standardization

•    It is among the popular brand names in the world.


•    It has well established divisions Walt Disney Studio Entertainment, Disney-ABC Television
Group, Disney Interactive

Media Group, Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney Interactive
Studios.

•    Increasing trends in overall revenues and profits.

•    Disney holds US$ 62.497 billion of assets.

•    Popular characters

•    High brand awareness among the people.

•    Differentiation

•    The Walt Disney logo is famous.

•    Walt Disney was ranked 8th in the Top 100 Global Brands.

Weaknesses

•    High operating cost

•    Frequent change in top management

•    The $1.8 Billion park have only 16 attractions.

•    Religious welfare group protest against the release of material which was found offensive by
many people.

•    Poor working conditions in factories that produce their merchandise.

•    Disney was also criticized by animal welfare group for their caring procedure for animals at
Disney’s Animal Kingdom

theme Park.

•    Poor management.

•    Disney has been blamed of having sexual implication or references concealed in some of
their animated movies,

including The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and
Disney’s original releases of The
Rescuers.

•    High investment with high risk involved.

•    Continuous innovative ideas are required to retain the attention of customers.

•    Limited range of target audience mainly Children.

Email this article
 Printer friendly page
5 Secrets to Walt Disney World's Success
By Abbie Drew
May 11, 2006

Wow!

Last week, I had the pleasure of taking a little time off for a vacation. My family and I went to Orlando, FL
and yes, of course, we visited Walt Disney World.

If you’ve been reading DEMC for a while, you know this was not my first trip to visit Walt Disney’s Magic
Kingdom in Florida. In fact, I’ve been numerous times and I’m sure to go back. (smile)

Every time I go, I’m always impressed with the Disney business. It is well tuned and planned to every last
detail. And the marketing I see at Walt Disney World is exceptional.

These visits to Walt Disney World always inspire me to improve the marketing of my own business. As
any business, large or small, can learn from their model. So today, lets review just a few of their
marketing tactics and see how we can apply them to our Internet businesses.

Here are 5 Walt Disney World marketing success strategies:

1) Sell More to Existing Customers

While at the Walt Disney World theme parks you are continuously offered other products / services to
purchase.

* Upon exiting attractions, you enter a store themed to that attraction with gifts.
* During travel on trams, monorails, trains, boats, etc. there are always marketing announcements.
These recordings inform you of ways to upgrade your ticket, to stay longer, to visit other parks, to dine
at restaurants, to stay at resorts or to go to other attractions.
* Booths in the parks have representatives selling Disney vacation packages for future visits.
* Stores with gifts and restaurants with food are on every corner for your convenience.

Disney knows that current customers are the easiest customers to upsell. As a result, they take every
opportunity to sell you more.

Your Internet business can follow this same principle. When a customer buys have a back-end sale you
offer. Be it an upsell on your existing offer, an add on to your offer or another product. Immediate back-
end sales will make your business money. So follow Disney’s success strategy # 1 and sell more to your
current customers!

2) Expand Your Marketplace

Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL attracts visitors from all over the world, as does Disneyland in
California. However, Disney realized they could grow their business if they offered their product to other
marketplaces outside of the USA. As a result, Disney developed country specific theme parks and
delivered them to these marketplaces.

Disney built a Disneyland Paris, a Tokyo Disney and most recently a Hong Kong Disneyland. These parks
bring in many visitors, as well as many repeat visitors who would not have traveled to the USA. Disney
has increased their marketplace and expanded their brand worldwide by building these country specific
theme parks.

Your Internet business can again follow this business principle and do it with less of an investment. It’s
as easy as developing your site in other languages and then submitting your site to search engines in
those languages.

If you’re hesitant to develop your site in other languages, you could expand your marketplace by
creating landing pages specific to niche groups. For example, you might create a landing page just for
Moms or a landing page for golfers or a landing page for dog enthusiasts. Depending upon what you sell,
creating niche specific landing pages can expand your business into that marketplace.

3) Continuous Promotion

Walt Disney World is always advertising. They do not start, stop and then start again. They have a
marketing budget and plan that’s designed to keep their message in front of audiences.

You regularly see their ads on TV, in print publications, on the Internet and I’ve even gotten their ads on
grocery store coupon print-outs! Disney also continually sends direct mail pieces to past customers with
varying offers.
Disney’s promotions are designed to keep them in your mind. So when it’s time for vacationing, you
think of going to Disney World or perhaps another (undefined) destination. But as Disney has kept itself
in your awareness it is always a consideration. Other vacation destination have not established
themselves nearly as well!

Your Internet business should consider the advantage of continuous promotion. Placing an ad here and
there does not establish your business in the mind of potential prospects. Evaluate your marketing and
determine how you can regular promote. What can you do to ensure every week you’re sending out a
marketing message?

Plan out how you’ll place ads, submit articles, run press releases, improve search engine rank or offer
incentives and then follow through. When you start to continuously promote you’ll find it will build your
business.

4) Always Improve and Add to your Offerings

Disney is never complacent. They are always growing, building, expanding and improving. With their
existing theme parks they continuously work to add in new attractions and shows. They update old
outdated rides, as well as refurbish and modernize long standing favorites. These regular improvements
draw back repeat visitors, like myself, as well as impress new visitors – so they’re sure to come back.

In addition to improving their existing theme parks and building new theme parks in new marketplaces,
as noted above, Disney is constantly creating new products to sell. The most well known of their
products are their movies. Disney studios is always working to create new motion pictures. Constantly
making and releasing movies to the marketplace brings in consistent profits for Disney. In addition,
Disney further leverages their movies by creating products – dolls, toys, games, etc -. as well as
incorporating them into their theme park attractions.

The synergy Disney has developed between their theme parks and their movies, helps drive movie sales
in theaters as well as on dvds, leads to increased sales of their dolls, toys, games, etc, and continues to
bring visitors to the parks. If Disney failed to continuously add and improve their profits would suffer.

Your Internet business should recognize the importance of bettering your offerings. If you’re not always
working on expanding and improving what you sell you’re falling behind. If you write just one ebook and
think you’ll be rich, think again. Or if you have a single product to sell and believe you’re set, you’re not.

Business is about constantly improving what you offer and developing new products / services to offer.
If you don’t keep working to offer the best product / service possible, your competitors will. And soon
you’ll be out of business.

5) Tracking Business
Disney knows the times of year which are busy and those that are slow. They track attendance at their
parks and resorts and plan accordingly.

Rather than simply accepting the slow times, Disney runs promotions to improve sales. If you look at
Disney resort prices, each time of the year has a different rate. During summer time and Holiday weeks,
when students are out of school, the price of a room is significantly higher than say in September.

When times are slow, as they are in September, Disney offers free meals with your lower priced room.
They also target their advertising to people who do not have children in school, such as empty nesters
and parents with toddler children.

Disney entices school age children during the year by offering school bands, cheerleading squads and
other student groups opportunities to come to the parks and perform. These packages work to boost
attendance as well as improve Disney’s reputation.

Disney’s determination to bring in customers year round has worked. If you examine crowd attendance
levels over the years, their theme parks attendance overall has increased and slower times are not
nearly as slow as they once were.

How can this apply to your Internet business?

Your business should be tracking your sales. You need to know when sales are up vs. down. You also
should know why sales are better or worse. Once you know your business’ results you can run specials
during slower times. You can test targeting different niche groups to see if sales improve.

Good marketing is made up of tracking results and testing promotions. On the Internet tracking
programs making it easy to know how your advertising and sales are doing. Use these programs and test
out various offers. If you work to improve your promotions you will increase your sales.

There you have the 5 Walt Disney World marketing success strategies, I observed during my recent
vacation. You do not need to be a huge, publicly owned company like Disney to succeed with your
marketing. Employ these tactics in your Internet business, as I’ve discussed and you’re sure to see your
profits rise!

You might also like