NEWS: The Disney Princess Brand Continues to Reign Supreme With Girls
Newsone
Disney's Beloved Heroines on Track to Achieve $2b in Retail Sales in
2004
In 2000, Disney Consumer Products brought all of Disney's beloved
heroines -- Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas,
Sleeping Beauty and Snow White -- together in a comprehensive collection
of fantasy-based girls' entertainment and products called the Disney
Princess brand.
"In just three years, the Disney Princess brand has gone from $300
million in global retail sales to $1.3 billion in 2003, making it Disney
Consumer Products' fastest growing brand from a revenue perspective,"
said Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products. "With the
support of The Walt Disney Company, the Disney Princess brand will
continue to cast its spell on consumers, and we expect it will reach an
estimated $2 billion in retail sales in 2004."
Disney's research shows that girls don't want to be just any Princess,
they want to be a Disney Princess. A Princess whose personality, dreams,
favorites and friends she knows from the stories she loves. And moms
embrace the brand because in a time when little girls are maturing at a
much faster pace, Disney Princess merchandise lets little girls be
little girls longer. The stories behind the Disney Princesses empower
girls with virtues of integrity, honor, discovery, friendship and love.
"Starting with Snow White in 1937, the rich storytelling of each of
Disney's fairytales has captured the hearts and minds of young girls,"
said Mooney. "The Disney Princess brand is a natural extension of these
timeless stories and characters and enables a girl to become a part of
the world of her favorite princess."
Created for girls ages 2 to 8 years of age, Disney will wave its own
magic wand over the brand releasing new Disney Princess personal care
products, Disney Princess Electronics, theatrical releases, home videos,
apparel programs, theme park entertainment, toys, games and a variety of
other great products that inspire the imagination.
Following is company-wide information showing the success and the new
initiatives behind Disney Princess:
2004
January
Party City nearly triples the Disney Princess section, expanding to 16'.
Payless expands Disney Princess accessories to all stores.
January
Disney Princess pink -- "The fairest of them all" -- remains the No. 1
juvenile paint color in the "Disney Color by Behr" paint program at The
Home Depot (has been No. 1 for past 10 months)
January 15
Walt Disney World Resort begins offering Cinderella's Royal Dinner
(Grand Floridian) due to overwhelming response to breakfast with
Cinderella.
February
Sleeping Beauty's Royal Ball at Disneyland Resort
February
Disney Princess event on Disney Channel (airing of Pocahontas)
February 17
Christy Carlson Romano from Disney Channel's Even Stevens and Kim
Possible debuts as Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.
February 23
Disneyland Resort debuts Snow White -- An Enchanted Musical.
March/April
Disney Princess Magazine's expected to see a 270% increase in
circulation for this, the third edition.
April
Disney Princess sportswear, sleepwear and underwear, social stationery &
accessories debuts at Federated Department stores. First time Disney
Princesses will appear on tween apparel line.
May
New Disney Princess Electronics debut at Circuit City, Target and Sears.
June
Jasmine's Story Telling begins at Magic Kingdom
Summer
Disney and Friendly Games, Inc. debuts Disney Princess Checkers
August
Expanded Disney Princess product assortment hits Wal-Mart store shelves
just in time for back-to-school season.
August 11
Princess Diaries II live-action theatrical release.
September
Disney and Boom! to introduce Disney Princess personal care products at
retail
September
Beauty and The Beast on Ice debuts from Disney On Ice
September
Buena Vista Home Entertainment launches the Disney Princess Collection
on DVD/Video featuring: Disney Princess Sing Along Songs: Once Upon A
Dream, Disney Princess Stories and Disney's Princess Party. More titles
to come during three releases in 2005.
September
Debut of "Disney Princess Anthem"
September
Exclusive Disney Princess items and promotional offer available at Toys
"R" Us
Fall
Disney and Friendly Games, Inc. debuts Disney Princess Dominoes
October
Academy AwardŽ-winning Aladdin released on DVD for first time
October
Mulan Special Edition DVD/VHS released
October
Aladdin Platinum DVD/Video re-release
November
Disney Princess event on Disney Channel (airing of Mulan)
Holiday
Princess Diaries II DVD/Video release
Ongoing Support
The Disney Princess brand features 25,000 merchandise skus and 300
licensees globally
"Princess Palace" on http://www.disney.com
$2.6 billion in worldwide box office revenue for Disney Princess
animated films.
Disney Princess films remain four of the top five direct-to-video
premieres of all time, from any company. More than 150 million videos
sold worldwide.
Disney Princess Power Hour. This television entertainment -- Aladdin and
The Little Mermaid -- airs 15 times per week with potential to reach 40
million on Toon Disney.
Disney Princess parades, character visits, character breakfasts and live
entertainment are a mainstay at all parks and resorts.
Disney On Ice presents Princess Classics is a five-year global tour.
More than 2.5 million guests are expected to attend each year.
Radio programming on Radio Disney
Beauty and the Beast on Broadway -- more than 21 million guests have
attended in both the UK and U.S.
Marketing
All of these efforts will also be backed by approximately $100 million
in cross-divisional media spend, marketing support and unparalleled
synergy that only The Walt Disney Company has perfected.
In total, girls have access to 2 billion hours of immersion into the
Disney experience through theatrical releases, home videos, television,
theme parks, consumer products, websites, radio and live entertainment.
In conclusion, it's easy to see how the Disney Princess brand touches
every aspect of girls' lives and inspires them to dream.
About Disney Consumer Products
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) is the division of The Walt Disney
Company that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from
apparel, toys, home dicor and books to interactive games, food and
beverages, electronics and fine art. This is accomplished through the
work of the division's various lines of business: Disney Toys, Disney
Softlines, Disney Hardlines, Disney Publishing, Buena Vista Games and
Baby Einstein. The Disney Store also falls under DCP and carries mostly
exclusive, non-licensed merchandise.
Forward Looking Statements
Management believes certain statements in this earnings release may
constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements
regarding future sales. These statements are made on the basis of
management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business
performance as of the time the statements are made and management does
not undertake any obligation to update these statements. There can be no
assurance that actual results will be the same as those implied by the
forward looking statements included in this release and actual results
may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences
may result from actions taken by the Company, as well as from
developments beyond the Company's control, including international,
political, health concern and military developments that may affect the
consumer products businesses generally and changes in domestic and
global economic conditions that may, among other things, affect the
demand for consumer products. Changes in domestic competitive conditions
may also affect performance of all significant company businesses.
Additional factors are set forth in the Company's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended September 30, 2003 under the heading "Factors
that may affect forward-looking statements."
--Posted March 31, 2004
Source: Disney Consumer Products