Need versus want, Disney Style

Our animation team had lost its heart and soul. Roy E. Disney knew it and was the catalyst for bringing on Eisner and Wells.

Need versus want, Disney Style.

What?

Needs are demographically driven.

Wants are psychographically driven.

Wants are easily felt but not easily explained.

For example:

I need an insurance policy.

I want piece of mind.

Example two:

I need a vacation.

I want memories that will last a lifetime.

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Bob Iger’s contract expires in one year

Daytona Beach Hard Rock Hotel
The World’s Most Famous Beach is it’s claim to fame.

 

 

 

The Disney culture, and maintaining it, is my number one priority.  – Michael Eisner (1984)

 

Bob Iger’s contract expires in one year – July 7, 2019.

Bob took over for Michael Eisner in 2005.

Michael ran Disney for 21 years, from 1984 – 2005.

i was there for all of it, and then some – finally retiring on Halloween (pretty scary) 2014.

In fact, Michael, my wife Cheryl, and i were all hired on the same day as permanent Cast Members.

Also, i spent eight months as a (full-time) seasonal Cast Member in 1982.

Bob has graciously extended his CEO contract several times since July 2015.

We have yet to identify the next Disney CEO.

Fingers crossed for some incredible Magic between now and July 7, 2019.

 

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HQ, click here.

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The Disney Decade 1990 – 2000

Disney Customer Service Speakers
My home town.

 

Michael Eisner and the late Frank Wells actually initially described their ambitious plans for the “Disney Decade” as a dream.

In the introduction to the Walt Disney Company’s 1990 employee annual report (which — appropriately enough — was entitled “Building a Dream Together”), Eisner and Wells said that they’d …

“… been doing a lot of dreaming lately. And we’ve given the dream a name. It’s called the ‘Disney Decade.’

The Disney Decade is about a dream, and it’s about us. The plans are incredibly exciting and will touch every aspect of this Company … New hotels, new attractions and a new theme park at Walt Disney World. The biggest expansion of Disneyland in its history.

Some might think that we’re overly ambitious. We don’t think so … We’re confident about achieving the mission we’ve set for the next ten years. After all, people the world over expect Disney to dream, and dream big.

If the Disney dream, in its sheer size and scope, takes your breath away, we want you to know it does the same for us. But we’re certain that there are still plenty more dreams to go around. Just wait until … ten years from now … when we’ll be talking about Mickey’s Millennium!”

Hat tip to Jim Hill Media’s 2005 article for a detailed look back.

 

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This website is about our WORK. To ponder today’s post about our HQ, click here.

If you want to stay on this site and read more posts from this Blog, click here.

 

Handling someone looking for some dirt

Disney Executive Consulting
Circa 2005, near the time of the story below.

 

Three days ago, in a blast from the past, a friend offered this email excerpt from nearly a decade ago, from a Disney Institute (DI) engagement i led. While i do not recall the situation, Craig did. The crazy thing though, it sounds legit:

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About 5 or 6 years ago, when you came to Columbus with DI.
I was standing with you, after it was over, at the front of the room, when a guy came up and started rattling off things he had heard about Michael Eisner. I remember it distinctly, because it was a lot of material that was in a 2006 book, Disneywar. (I had recently finished reading it, too.) It was clear he was trying to get validation to some dirt he had in mind.
You handled it flawlessly. I don’t remember specifics. But it was to the effect that Michael had done a lot of good for the company.
I do remember that after that, you told me that you had spent some time with Mr Eisner and that he is a good guy. You told me you’d tell me about it someday. 🙂
I believe you had said you were his specific handler, when he was in town. I couldn’t tell if this was during your Resort Operations days or during your DI days.
Either way, I look forward to hearing about it. Eisner may have had a rocky end with the company. But, he did some incredible things, righted the ship and set the company up with a great base to build on for the 21st century.
OK, done geeking out.
🙂

craig

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Consistency is the hallmark of a reputation.

By the way, what prompted Craig’s email was this post, also from three days ago.

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