Disney's Corporate Brand

Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!








One of the most successful examples of corporate and brand image building is the Walt Disney Corporation. They are the leaders in the industry and set the bar for other brands to aspire to reach. A company seeks to develop or align the expectations behind the brand experience. As a company you want to create an impression for your customers that your brand associated is special or unique and Disney has done just that. From the The Mickey Mouse Club to their new 3D picture UP Disney had provided a brand for all ages to grow and trust. Disney provides all entertainment needs for all demographics from movies to vacations destinations,Disney really supplies the full package.

What Does the Disney Brand Convey Today?
The Disney company, which is known for its animation and amusement parks, wanted to introduce a club giving members access to resorts, cruises and getaways. They needed their brand image to persuade consumers to consider Disney beyond the theme-park realm by leveraging Disney's brand and the distinct benefits inherent to each property or asset.




The Disney Vacation Club:

So why is the Disney Vacation Club so successful? Because of the successful brand image Disney has. Here are some of the ways Disney allows themselves to stand out of the crowd and can get so many people to join their vacation club.



" A World of Choices, A Lifetime of Memories"

1. Web Presence check out the website here
The Disney Vacation Club website is very interactive, and links can be found to the site, via any other Disney owned website.Lets explore their website:

"It's not just a Disney Vacation, it's a lifetime of vacation memories. Disney Vacation Club offers you hundreds of destinations around the world, money-saving benefits and the Disney level of quality that exceeds your expectations. "

In the first paragraph of their website they explain that by joining the vacation club you can travel around the world and an affordable price and Disney will ensure to exceed your expectations.

They offer a free information DVD delivered right to your home, provide pages for question answers and testimonials, and even a page on the website to compare the disney vacation club to similar vacation clubs offered.


2. Disney Teams up: Building Relationships
Disney Vacation Club has signed a multi-year contract with the timeshare exchange company Group RCI.

Disney's Celebration-based time-share division says the pact with RCI, a subsidiary of Wynham Worldwide Corp., will provide members with "a significantly broader range of resort experiences," including access to destinations across six continents and 25 countries. Check out the full article here

The relationship Disney has established will not only get them a larger company base but strengthen the credibility of their vacation club and the business of RCI.


3. Mirror Mirror on the Wall: Disney's Image:
Disney has the unique ability to grow with their key public. Disney fans can start at a very young age as easily as a Mickey Mouse plush toy, a trip to Disney world during childhood, or a child's favorite TV show. Disney can capture young audiences at a very young age. The brand is so versicle that they can keep their fans loyal for a long period of time. What a better way to share your love of Disney and the kid in your heart than allowing yourself and your family to be apart of the Happiest Place on Earth and be members of the Disney Vacation club.

4. New Media:


Twitter: The Disney Vacation Club uses twitter and other forms of social media to reach their target audiences. Check out the Disney Vacation Club twitter page here



Facebook: The Disney Vacation Club also uses Facebook to promote their vacation club check it out here

Disney In Corporate Crisis

Disney Monorail Crash On July 5th, 2009
After the fourth of July fireworks around 2a.m. two of Walt Disney World's monorail trains collided at the Walt Disney World Transportation and Ticket Center, killing one of the Monorail operators at the scene. There were eight other passengers on board, but no one else was seriously injured. The driver of the second train was taking the the hospital for examination but was released. The Driver who was killed was a 21 year old college student, said to be working his dream job. He always wanted to drive the "highway in the sky". This was the first accident in the 38 year history of the Walt Disney World Monorail System. For the full story click here. Too see the aftermath of the crash here is amateur video footage by a bystander. ( please note this clip is a little graphic)

How Did Disney Handle This Situation:
Disney released the following statement after the crash:

Walt Disney World Vice President of Public Affairs Mike Griffin issued a statement offering condolences to the employee's family.

"Today, we mourn the loss of a fellow cast member. Our hearts go out to the family and fellow cast members who lost a co-worker and a friend. Safety of our guests and cast members is our top priority. We will work with law enforcement to determine what happened," Griffin said in the statement.Griffin would not comment on the circumstances surrounding the crash."They are extremely rare," Griffin said of accidents at the park. "The safety of our guests and cast are a top priority above all else."

More on Mike Griffin Click here

So How Did Griffin Do?

Griffin's statement was sincere. He address that Disney is mourning the loss of an employee and friend, and they send their condolences to the family and friend affected by this accident. He also addresses that Disney has agreed to work with law enforcement to determined what happened.


My Opinion:

The Most Important Thing In Crisis Management: BE PREPARED

Remember these steps Griffin:

Regret
Reform
Restitution
Responsibility

Positive Feedback: This statement was done well because he did not admit that Disney was at fault before confirming the cause of the accident,and he also did not say it was not their fault. He made it known that Disney is cooperating with the law enforcement to determine the cause of the accident. Griffin also noted that accidents at Disney parks are rare and the safety of their guest is Disney's top priority.


Negative Feedback: I think that Griffin should have said that Disney was looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash, but was unsure at the time the exact reasoning for the incident. Instead of refusing to comment about the situation.


For a map of the Walt Disney World Monorail System click here

Disney and Griffin Did a fine job handling this crisis. Hakuna Matata ( No Worries!) Disney