News
Disney Faces Marvel Brand Task At 'D23' Event
By Robert Marich
Late add Aug 12-Disney issues a press release detailing panel discussions, exhibition area, arena shows and a treasure hunt...
Another late add Aug 24-Variety story says 40,000 paid attendance. link below.
Aug 12, 2011- Walt Disney Studios is one of the few Hollywood filmmakers with a brand-like image, which faces the challenge of marketing the not-exactly-Disney-esque Marvel comics brand at the annual D23 Disney consumer event in Anaheim Aug 19-21. Disney bought Marvel-home of Spider-Man and Iron Man—for $4.3 billion in 2009.
The D23 event – the Disney studio got rolling back in 1923, hence the “23”—is a Disney-run extravaganza in Anaheim, which is near Disneyland. The first D23 was held in 2009 and skipped 2010, so this is the second year. Entrance fees can include a “membership” so Disney is trying to create a fan network with benefits that includes a reward of discounted D23 entry.
Panel discussions and happenings include all the iconic Disney-esque elements—Mickey Mouse to Pixar. But the newly-acquired Marvel franchise is not a natural fit with the Disney brand, and in fact was purchased to fill a youth male “gap” in the portfolio of Disney brands, which include the older-men-oriented ESPN—the sports cable networks.
“We’re pulling out all the stops,” Disney promises in a press release about Marvel’s first appearance at D23. It includes a panel about Marvel’s history dating to 1939, so Disney is putting the focus on heritage rather than the tougher-to-integrate physical action of Marvel properties—which is their true appeal. Says a D23 Disney press release: “With projects from Disney, Pixar Animation Studios, and Marvel Studios, this special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and all-star appearances by Jason Segel, Kermit, and Miss Piggy (Disney’s The Muppets), Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, and Willem Dafoe ( John Carter ), Kelly Macdonald and Kevin McKidd (Brave), Jennifer Garner (The Odd Life of Timothy Green ), Jack McBrayer and Sarah Silverman (Wreck-It Ralph), cast members from Marvel's The Avengers, and other surprise guests.”
Looking online, most of the news postings are Disney press releases, so this event isn’t get a lot of media heat. Given the poor economy, it will probably be a challenge to get decent attendance, but D23 is a chance for Disney to build the event, create a relationship with its most hard-core fans and build up contact lists of attendees that it can milk later. It's a pricey event where basic entry for adults is $47-136--depending how many days.
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www.marketingmovies.net/news/comcics-toy-brands-are-hwoods-new-stars/
www.marketingmovies.net/chapters/chapter-4-tieins-prod-placement/