PASSPORT - Disney Consumer Products (some FAQs)
John Frost
PASSPORT MAGAZINE
*** Presents ***
-=- The Walt Disney Consumer Products FAQ -=-
_a press release from Disney Consumer Products_
DISNEY CONSUMER PRODUCTS BRING THE MAGIC OF DISNEY
TO CONSUMERS All OVER THE WORLD
The first item of Mickey Mouse merchandise was a school child's writing
tablet for which Walt Disney earned a licensing fee of $300, just months
after Mickey Mouse first appeared in "Steamboat Willie," Nov. 18, 1928.
More than 65 years later, merchandise associated with Mickey and all the
other famous Disney characters generate almost $ 15 billion annually at
retail around the world.
When Walt Disney signed his first merchandise contract, he insisted that
his name and his characters be associated with quality and creativity in
every product. Today, Disney Consumer Products still demands top quality
in all of the 100,000 new products introduced each year in more than 80
countries. This dedication to quality has helped to keep the Disney name
and characters fresh in the consumer's mind.
Today, Disney Consumer Products consists of seven business areas:
o MERCHANDISE LICENSING selectively authorizes the use of Disney
characters
on highquality merchandise including fine collectibles and artwork.
o PUBLISHING tells Disney stories in books, magazines and comics.
o MUSIC AND AUDIO plays favorite Disney songs and stories on tape
and
compact disc.
o COMPUTER SOFTWARE programs Disney fun into home computers and
computer
game systems.
o EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTIONS casts the characters in award-winning
films
for schools and libraries.
o THE DISNEY STORE brings the Disney magic to premium shopping
centers in
the US. and around the world.
¥ CATALOG MARKETING offers Disney and Disney-quality products via
top
catalogs, managed by Disney's subsidiary, Childcraft Inc.
These businesses combine in an international organization no other
entertainment company can match. Revenues in fiscal year 1993 rose 31
percent to $1.4 billion. Operating income rose 26 percent to $355 million.
DISNEY LICENSING
Disney character merchandise represents the largest licensing franchise
in
the world. Today, Disney Licensing is responsible for some 3,000
contracts
with top manufacturers worldwide -- industry leaders in virtually every
product category.
Operating from offices in Burbank, Calif, Domestic Licensing for North
America encompasses several activities:
o Standard Character Licensing (i.e., Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Pluto);
¥ Filmed Entertainment Licensing covers theatrical releases such as
"Aladdin," "The Lion King" and TV properties such as "Blossom" and
"Home Improvement."
Foreign offices manage these responsibilities in their respective regions.
Licensing also manages our relationship with the Kenneth Feld organization,
which produces the seven spectacular Walt Disney's World On Ice shows now
touring the world.
Capitalizing on the growing interest in high-quality collectibles, The Walt
Disney Classics Collection presents an exclusive line of porcelain character
figurines, exacting recreations of memorable scenes from Disney animated
films.
Disney Art Editions develops new markets for Disney art. The paintings or
celluloid "cels" used in the production of Disney animated films and
television series, as well as a variety of limited-edition recreations,
are offered for sale through The Disney Store, the theme parks and a
fast-growing network of preferred art galleries worldwide.
DISNEY PUBLISHING
For the past 60 years, Disney Licensed Publishing has produced books in
partnership with well-respected publishers. Today, Disney is also
becoming
a publisher in its own right. Disney's Magazine Publishing Group publishes
four magazines in the U.S.: Disney Adventures, Discover, FamilyPC and
FamilyFun. In book publishing, Disney Press publishes children's books
based
on Disney characters; Hyperion Books for Children offers non-Disney
children's titles from the world's best authors and illustrators, and
Hyperion offers general-interest titles for adults such as biographies,
histories and popular fiction. The newest book imprint to join the
publishing family, Mouse Works, provides parents with fun, midpriced
children's books through mass merchants, toy stores and book chains.
Disney publishing around the world covers relationships with more than
250 licensed publishers covering 80 countries as well as a number of
Disney-owned ventures. In Italy, Disney's new book publishing company,
Disney Libri, created 150 titles in its first two years. In France, the
joint venture companies, Disney-Hachette Press for magazines and
Disney-Hachette Editions for books, have also been prolific.
DISNEY MUSIC AND AUDIO
Music has been synonymous with Walt Disney films since Mickey Mouse
first played "Turkey in the Straw" on a cow's teeth in the 1928 cartoon,
"Steamboat Willie." In 1956, the success of "The Ballad of Davy Crockett"
led to the establishment of an in-house recording business.
Today, Walt Disney Records is the largest family record company in the
world, with dozens of gold and platinum sales awards to its credit,
including multi-platinum awards (more than 2 million copies sold) for
"Mickey Mouse Disco" and the soundtracks of "The Little Mermaid, "
"Beauty
and the Beast" and "Aladdin." "The Little Mermaid, " "Beauty and the Beast"
and "Aladdin" all won Academy Awards for Best Song and Best Score. The
soundtract of "The Lion King" seems sure to out perform them all, rising
to number one on the national album charts faster than any other Disney
record. It's the first time that Disney has enjoyed a number-one
soundtrack since "Mary Poppins" in 1965.
Walt Disney Records manages Disney's music publishing companies which
administer the music copyrights developed by The Walt Disney Company,
Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Hollywood Records. Activities
include developing original songs; selling sheet music, folios, band and
choral arrangements, and collecting royalties from uses of the music
copyrights.
Walt Disney Records is also expanding on its popular audio story format
known as the book-and-cassette read-along. The first in a line of innovative
audio play products is the PlayAlong, an elaborate four-scene stage sold
with molded PVC characters and audio tape. It enables children to act out
the story while listening to the full-length audio recording.
DISNEY INTERACTIVE
Part of Walt Disney's genius was his ability to identify new technologies
that would enhance the impact of his art. He was the first cartoon maker
to employ film sound, and the first movie maker to produce television. This
tradition continues at Disney INTERACTIVE.
Disney Interactive spans three distinct categories. Educational software,
including PCbased products, combines learning and fun. Creativity software
includes "The Animation Studio," a sophisticated program that enables
users to create animation on a PC. Entertainment software is based on
popular Disney films and TV shows.
[ Disney Interactive is expected to hire up to 600 employees making them
as large as the current Feature Animation division. It also happens that
DI will move into FA's old office space on Flower Street as soon as
they can move FA into the new 'state of the art' building ]
To help satisfy the ever-growing video game audience, Disney licenses its
properties to top companies from the United States and around the world,
for machines such as Nintendo, Nintendo's Gameboy and the Sega Genesis and
Gamegear machines. "Aladdin" for the Sega Genesis, developed jointly by
Disney and Virgin Games for sale by Sega of America, was the first game
ever produced using full-motion Disney animation. It has sold over 2
million copies since its introduction in fall, 1993.
DISNEY EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTIONS
Disney Educational Productions creates timely, entertaining and thought
provoking videos that illustrate the basics and make complex subjects
more accessible for children in preschool through 12th grade.
Because education has been a part of Disney entertainment for years,
Disney's educational video library now exceeds 400 titles. More than 20
new films are produced each year, emphasizing health, guidance and safety.
A new Disney educational product is the Disney "ImaginActive" videodisc,
enabling teachers to access specific scenes and individual pages of
material in seconds to customize lesson plans.
THE DISNEY STORE
Disney's first retail operation outside its theme parks was established in
1987. In seven years, The Disney Store has grown to encompass more than
290 locations at the best shopping centers in the United States, Europe
and Japan.
Disney's concept of "retail as entertainment" draws on six decades of
Disney creativity. As at the theme parks, employees are "Cast Members"
who play their parts "On Stage" in the Disney Store "Show." Customers are
"Guests" whose satisfaction is priority number one.
Interior designs are themed to the fun of Disney's filmed entertainment.
Handmade, animated characters act out scenes from famous Disney films;
music and videos fill the stores with sound and color. A video newsstand
presents information on current Disney films, television and theme park
activities.
[ Recently A supplimentary version of The Disney Store opened at the
Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana CA. The Walt Disney Gallery features
collectables, wearables and usables that are aimed at the tastes (and
pocketbooks) of adults. Let me summarize it in one phrase. "I could
go broke there." (ICGBT) -JF ]
DIRECT MAIL MARKETING
In cooperation with The Disney Store, The Disney Catalog is sent to
millions of homes each year throughout the United States. Hundreds of
carefully selected products are available through the mail. Each issue of
the catalog supports the magic of Walt Disney by showcasing merchandise in
attractive photos.
-=-
A Disney Consumer Products press release
brought to you by Passport Magazine (fr...@netcom.com) - 12/94
Tigger/kat
>The first item of Mickey Mouse merchandise was a school child's writing
>tablet for which Walt Disney earned a licensing fee of $300, just months
>after Mickey Mouse first appeared in "Steamboat Willie," Nov. 18, 1928.
>More than 65 years later, merchandise associated with Mickey and all the
>other famous Disney characters generate almost $ 15 billion annually at
>retail around the world.
Well, we all know who's contributing to that amount! :-) :-)
>When Walt Disney signed his first merchandise contract, he insisted that
>his name and his characters be associated with quality and creativity in
>every product. Today, Disney Consumer Products still demands top quality
>in all of the 100,000 new products introduced each year in more than 80
>countries. This dedication to quality has helped to keep the Disney name
>and characters fresh in the consumer's mind.
Well, I don't think anyone here will forget, er uhm what was it that I was
talking about?? :-) :-)
>[ Recently A supplimentary version of The Disney Store opened at the
> Mainplace Mall in Santa Ana CA. The Walt Disney Gallery features
> collectables, wearables and usables that are aimed at the tastes (and
> pocketbooks) of adults. Let me summarize it in one phrase. "I could
> go broke there." (ICGBT) -JF ]
Guess why I'm doing my Christmas shopping at the Main Place this year? Now let's
see, that's one for them, and one for me... :-)
>-=-
>A Disney Consumer Products press release
>brought to you by Passport Magazine (fr...@netcom.com) - 12/94
Thanks for providing us with the informationm. I enjoyed reading it.
TTFN,
-Tigger/kat
-------------------------------------------------------------
k...@netcom.com || Tigger's Number One Fan!!
and FDC Tigger!
I feel like Mickey - all these brooms around, and never a
mop when you need one!