H&M Communications’ Post

Disney CEO Bob Iger tells employees he wants to start "building again". As a Disney fan and a reoccurring visitor to their parks, I want to preface that this is just my opinion on my take on what I think is going on with The Walt Disney Co. Why isn't Disney the "juggernauts" they once were? Park attendance is down. Well, if I have to take out a loan just to visit your theme park, we may need to have a conversation. Look, I get it, you have to buy your attendance. New rides, new realms, you need to do something to keep your guests coming back. And well, you have to offset those costs somewhere, but not so much that people feel they need to go into debt just to visit. It's because no one wants to go to the movies anymore! Not really. The top 4 movies of 2023 domestically were Barbie, The Super Mario Bros Movie, Spider-Man: Across the Universe, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Heck, Five Nights at Freddys performed very well. It is now Blumhouse's highest grossing movie at the global box office. What do these movies have in common? Well, they are all IP titles and or sequels. What this tells me is people will flock to the theaters for not just the characters, but characters we the audience love and for the unique stories they tell. Do I believe The Walt Disney Co. will turnaround, absolutely. This is a time where they need to look themselves in the mirror (which I'm sure they are doing). Let's get back to the basics when it comes to the guest experience. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the current state of The Walt Disney Co. #waltdisney #bobiger #waltdisneyworld #marvel #boxoffice #themepark https://lnkd.in/g6kX38TY

"I am a beneficiary of the investment in diverse talent," shares The Walt Disney Company's President of Global Advertising Rita Ferro. "As a Cuban-American who grew up in Miami and didn't know anything about this industry, it's amazing how the place I loved as a kid, I now get to come to work at every single day." Watch the full interview with Rita and #LegendsandLeadership host Jack Myers below! https://lnkd.in/e6cAuCPT

Earlier today as The Walt Disney Company held another Town Hall Meeting with Disney CEO Bob Iger, that was moderated by ABC News anchor David Muir (around this time last year is when Iger was reinstated unexpectedly as CEO of The House of Mouse) from the ousting of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Some of the top brass from other company execs from DMED, Direct to Consumer, Disney Parks, Experiences and Products were there today and even Iger has admitted for running the company for 15-years and stated: “I knew that there were myriad challenges that I would face coming back,” Iger said. “I won’t say that it was easy, but I’ve never second guessed the decision to come back, and being back still feels great.” Even for the theme parks and even in a previous memo and where also Iger said: “As I reflect on the immense progress we've made this year and look ahead to the many opportunities before us, I'm grateful to all of you - the people of this great company - for the tremendous work you do each and every day to ensure we continue delivering incredible entertainment for our audiences, guests, and fans all over the world." -> https://lnkd.in/gcmsx-E9 -> https://lnkd.in/gadTunAk #thewaltdisneycompany #disneycastlife #disneyworld #disneyland #disneyparks #disney100 #businessnews #businessanalysis #entertainmentnews #entertainmentindustry #disneylife #industrynews #newsupdate #newstoday #popculture

A clip from this video featuring Lanny Smoot's work at Disney Imagineering has gone viral recently. While the clip is fascinating, it's just a small glimpse of the whole story. I highly recommend watching the entire video to fully appreciate his innovative journey and how it connects to creating amazing customer experiences. Smoot's work at Disney, like the HoloTile floor, shows us how important it is to think like our customers. This way of thinking helps us create great experiences for them. Smoot did this by really understanding what people visiting theme parks want and then making something special that adds to their fun. This is just like what we should do in customer service. We need to think about what our customers really need and want. Then, we can come up with new and creative ways to help them. When we try out these new ideas and see how customers like them, we make sure that we're not just using new technology, but also making our customers happy. So, let's use this way of thinking in our work. It's not just about new tools, but about really connecting with our customers and making their experience better. #Innovation #CustomerService #DisneyImagineering #DesignThinking https://lnkd.in/ecfbXMmr

Has Disney strayed from the vision of its founder, Walt Disney? With the company facing a notable decline in market value, we examine the roots of Disney's philosophy and question whether recent changes align with those foundational ideals. Join Dr. Nate Salah as he dons his Mickey Mouse shirt and explores what made Disney a household name and whether it can maintain that magic in today’s rapidly changing entertainment landscape. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞: • Walt Disney's foundational business strategies and how they fueled Disney’s growth • The shift in Disney’s market approach and its impact on the company’s stock price • Importance of knowing and connecting with your broad consumer base • How deviation from core values and audience expectations can lead to decreased brand loyalty • Strategies for businesses to align with consumer needs and values for sustained success EP220: Has Disney Lost its Way? #EntertainmentNews #AmusementParks Link in the comments.

Has Disney strayed from the vision of its founder, Walt Disney? With the company facing a notable decline in market value, we examine the roots of Disney's philosophy and question whether recent changes align with those foundational ideals. Join Dr. Nate Salah as he dons his Mickey Mouse shirt and explores what made Disney a household name and whether it can maintain that magic in today’s rapidly changing entertainment landscape. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞: • Walt Disney's foundational business strategies and how they fueled Disney’s growth • The shift in Disney’s market approach and its impact on the company’s stock price • Importance of knowing and connecting with your broad consumer base • How deviation from core values and audience expectations can lead to decreased brand loyalty • Strategies for businesses to align with consumer needs and values for sustained success EP220: Has Disney Lost its Way? #EntertainmentNews #AmusementParks Link in the comments.

Disney's defensive strategy in the most expensive proxy battle in history. The Walt Disney Co. and Trian Partners, led by Nelson Peltz, are currently in the midst of the most expensive proxy battle in history. Why it matters: Disney is pulling every communications lever to fight off Peltz ahead of the April 3 shareholder meeting. Between the lines: Disney must cast a wider than normal communications net because of the enormous amount of retail investors who own the stock. Zoom in: To do that, it has launched a grassroots... https://lnkd.in/drjJcEPx

Disney+ "Iwaju": 'Mar"keting or 'Make'ting (seem like an own-goal strategy) #Disney+ marks a significant milestone with "Iwájú," a series that represents its first collaboration outside its traditional studio system, highlighting African narratives through a partnership with Kugali Media. This move signals Disney+'s commitment to diversifying its storytelling, potentially mirroring the success of "Black Panther" by tapping into the cultural and commercial appeal of African stories. However, a critical misstep in this otherwise commendable effort is the platform's availability issue in Nigeria, the very country "Iwájú" seeks to celebrate. This oversight not only limits the series' reach and impact within its primary cultural context but also contrasts sharply with the inclusive approach seen in the marketing and global distribution of "Black Panther." For Disney+, "Iwájú" could have been a beacon of global storytelling and cultural representation, but the lack of accessibility in Nigeria represents a missed opportunity for genuine engagement and undermines the potential for this unique content to connect with its most relevant audience. As Disney+ continues to explore diverse narratives, addressing the challenge of content accessibility will be crucial. Ensuring that stories are available to the communities they depict will not only enhance Disney+'s global strategy but also affirm its commitment to inclusivity and representation in storytelling.

Interesting piece comparing the latter days of Eisner to Iger’s current predicament. Having been there during the original Disney War, the problem feels spookily similar - creative sputtering, a management culture plagued by succession drama, and existential questions about the direction of the media empire. Imo, the question isn’t what should the margin be on the steaming business or whatever operational concerns but rather a more strategic question about what TWDC should be in 5 yrs or 10 yrs, what you believe the media landscape looks like in that time and where Disney should be positioned in that world. Disney needs fresh thinking from leaders without attachments to legacy businesses who are thinking clearly about the future. To me, it’s obvious that the media conglomerate needs to be broken up, and Disney needs to refocus on being a branded entertainment company. Sell the legacy assets while they are still worth something and buy a games company that allows them to build a digital Disneyland along with AAA tentpoles that set them up for the next decade of growth.

I absolutely loved this Super Bowl ad from The Walt Disney Company. Sure, it's incredibly simple, which really stands out in a field of crazy graphics and big-named celebrities. But more than that, the ad represents some truly deep thinking regarding what Disney's real value proposition is. In this case, I think it's "storytelling." I talk about this exact process when I teach my MBA students and highlight what a difficult endeavor it can be. I think the work is worth it, though!: If you can determine your own value AND convey it to your core base, it can be a great help in guiding future strategic decisions. https://lnkd.in/gwBuV2vm