Module 1 Assignment: Brand Analysis on Disney

The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney, is an American diversified

multinational mass media corporation that has one of the most recognizable names in the
entertainment industry since its creation in 1923. Its power lies in its brand—as Roy Disney
(2004) puts it, “over the years it has come to stand for something real and meaningful and
worthwhile to millions of people of all ages and backgrounds around the world,”—becoming
a recognizable, in-demand, and cherished household name (Parekh, 2013). At the core of
Disney’s success is its commitment to creating, growing, and maintaining memories that stay
with their audience for years and years.

As a brand, Disney was built on positive associations achieved through masterful brand
storytelling, a deep understanding of its audience, and emotional experiences designed to
inspire and delight (Schnoor, 2020).

Firstly, its storytelling is the secret to its brand. Disney tells stories that draw emotions
common to everyone first and develops products second (Schnoor, 2020). It focuses on
developing timeless and engaging stories that delight and inspire—as Walt puts it, stories
that “speak to the child in each of us.” Secondly, Disney knows its audiences and
understands that it has had an emotional imprint on their lives since 1923 (Polizzi, 2020). It
sustains its image by using its nostalgia factor—the customers’ emotional connection with
‘Disney’—to keep its strong base of loyal customers. By respecting and cultivating that
connection throughout consumers’ lives, the brand is able to build on the salience that
begins in childhood to sustain lifelong customer relationships and reap the benefits of brand
resonance (Parekh, 2013). Thirdly, the company is fully committed to its brand promise of
quality, family-oriented fun and entertainment. Attention to detail has been the key to
delivering experiences that touch and give consumers a fews hours to momentarily put aside
their woes. However, according to (Burroughs, n.d.), “each generation experiences a slightly
updated version of Disney to the last,” which means that another factor for the brand’s
success is its willingness to adapt and its capacity for innovation.

All well-established brands struggle to maintain their defined heritages while simultaneously
keeping it fresh (Parekh, 2013). Because Disney understands its audience, it creatively
responds to the changing tastes and preferences of each generation while sticking to its core
image (MBA Lectures, 2010). Its technological know-how has led to innovations in its
animation and the introduction of Disney+, for example, which has allowed Disney to stay
current and competitive (Trainer, 2021).

This ties to another factor to the brand’s success: its extensive product line selection and its
accompanying cross-marketing strategy (Burroughs, n.d.). Disney sustains lifelong
relationships with generations by engaging its fans with targeted, quality content as well as
strategic marketing for continuously-expanding products and services that appeal to different
customer segments (Polizzi, 2020).

Because a brand is essentially a promise to your customer, for as long as Disney

continuously delivers on its promise, customers from all over will come back again and
again—a brand leader, it will remain.
 Module 1 Assignment: Brand Analysis on Disney

References

Burroughs, L. (n.d.). What Have Been the Key Success Factors For Disney? Retrieved
September 15, 2021, from
https://business-finance.blurtit.com/3274719/what-have-been-the-key-success-factor
s-for-disney.

MBA Lectures. (2010, November 11). Key Success Factors of Walt Disney. Retrieved
September 16, 2021, from
https://mba-lectures.com/management/strategic-management/1078/key-success-fact
ors-of-walt-disney.html.

Parekh, I. (2013, August 6). Brand Management - Walt Disney (Case Study). Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/ishanparekh/brand-management-walt-disney-case-study.

Polizzi, M. (2020, June 04). 4 Secrets Behind Disney's Captivating Marketing Strategy.
Retrieved September 15, 2021, from
https://www.referralcandy.com/blog/disney-marketing-strategy/.

Schnoor, A. (2020, March 17). The Secret of Disney's Brand. Retrieved September 15, 2021,
from https://bettermarketing.pub/the-secret-of-disneys-brand-a1e4432cf6fd.

Trainer, D. (2021, June 30). Disney's Strategy Is Working. Retrieved September 16, 2021,
from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2019/12/11/disneys-strategy-is-worki
ng/?sh=39b9b39356b0.