A Spirited Perfect Ten

[BrerJon]

Quick, someone photoshop Iger's face on to Lord Business!!!

 

[Mike S]

Lol, thanks a ton

 

[Lee]

Yeah, I just stumbled on it on accident too. Currently, about 25 minutes ago the "Spirit" is being ripped on twitter as possibly being the author and linked the article.

Spirit is not the author of the article. I can state that as fact.

Tonight a dark cloud has fallen on the halls of Burbank, stuff like this doesn't go unnoticed.

I assure you, there were people whose Sunday was ruined by that one.

Analysts, the Street, media execs, not to mention all of those who were mentioned...everyone will be reading that. It's like a well-placed grenade.

 

[doctornick]

The Huff Post brings up a point that has been stated around here before. There should be a differentiation between the "Disney" brand -- that of Mickey and animated films and theme parks with castles and pixie dust -- versus the "Disney" company -- a multi-national conglomerate that owns many different brands (not only Disney, but Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm/Star Wars, ESPN, etc.)

I'm not sure how to do it, but it might make sense to rename the overall company to a different name so that the media conglomerate is distinguished from the one distinct flagship brand. I don't know how you get away from calling the overall company "Disney" though.

 

[FigmentJedi]

quote"WDFA is in a better shape today than it was pre-Iger"Quote I would disagree with you about WDFA. Sure it's got it's Frozen (Which should be called "The Snow Queen") cash cow now but I still mourn the death of traditional animation.

I'm actually fine they didn't seeing as Frozen didn't really have much to do with the actual Snow Queen story.

 

[ford91exploder]

"Sometimes you just have to be there with your people. You have to be in the same room with them, look them in the eyes, hear their voices" -Michael Eisner

"We have no idea who they are. We don't know what they are willing to spend, what they like and what they don't like" -Bob Iger
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Seriously after reading that I hope they do look outside the company and get someone really good. Anyone have any ideas?

Iger's statement encapsulates the whole issue with P&R management, None of them have a CLUE about the business and if they actually spent TIME working the various elements they would have far more insight into their operations and we probably would be discussing new and exciting things at the parks instead of kvetching at the latest guest unfriendly initiative.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm no Iger fan based on what has happened to WDW under his leadership, but let's not forget the past. Eisner was responsible for a lot of major acquisitions in his day too. He really changed TWDC from a family owned business to a major media conglomerate. ABC/ESPN being his biggest move, but he was also responsible for Miramax, the Muppets, Fox Family (now ABC family) and he would have bought Pixar too if it wasn't for his clash with Jobs.

I prefer Eisner's approach to the parks for sure (especially WDW), but outside of P&R both Iger and Eisner grew the company largely through acquisitions (which were a mix of good and possibly bad for both).

Difference is Eiger grew the company 800%, Iger grew the company 62% which barely outpaces the core inflation rate, So I'm not really a fan of Iger either on the TWDC or the P&R side.

 

[ford91exploder]

Volunteering your services, Mike? With you in charge of P&R, and ParentsOf4 as CEO, I think Team Doom & Gloom would be out of business pretty quickly!

Team D&G would be one team I'd be happy to turn the lights out on.

 

[ford91exploder]

"We have no idea who they are. We don't know what they are willing to spend, what they like and what they don't like."

That should have been the first line, heck the headline, of the article.

The CEO not knowing who their customer is?

How many drinks did he have before he let that one slip out?

Probably none as Iger really does not understand the P&R business, He understands how to run a Television Network which IS primarily run 'By The Numbers'. I'll bet Iger needed a few adult beverages AFTER the interview though.

 

[ford91exploder]

Awesome!

 

[ford91exploder]

That's just a great comparison. ... I just wonder why people view Iger so positively, even Wall Street types. What chances has he taken? What bold risks?

Buying Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm were decisions that required very little thought or deliberation (one could argue with all the messy contract deals, that Marvel should have required more).

What showed vision? What showed ingenuity? Where have the bold moves been?

Spending two billion plus on NGE? Billions in stock buybacks? Bringing Rosie back to The View?

Where are the great moves that a fanboi living in Mom's basement in New Jersey couldn't have thought of?

Actually @WDW1974 Iger's numbers driven management style is exactly WHY the 'Street loves him, The street is obsessed with creating a computer model of reality, A few of my former colleagues are Quant's and I've been recruited as well but the NYC finance lifestyle is not for me.

So it's logical that the 'Street would love Iger, The numbers driven business culture is also why job creation is lagging in the US because of the extremely risk averse culture which has arisen FROM that mindset, But this is FAR OT.

 

[ford91exploder]

Maybe the board would just make him ParentsOfFive instead - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald...

Well probably ParentsOf4PlusFive

 

[ford91exploder]

I wish it was NYT or Wall Street Journal or something money men take note of a bit more than HuffPo, but it's a good start, and nice that it's written by someone on 'their' side of the fence instead of just being another self-commissioned puff piece from Jim Hill.

Hopefully as more and more people come to understand what it is many of us want to see changed things will start to snowball, as they did in the early 80s, as they did during SaveDisney.

Maybe this could this be the start of the Disney Spring (not to be confused with the mall!).

Oh the HuffPo is read by the REAL analysts I assure you.

 

[WildcatDen]

Why? To make the children go away.....

If the bar is a bar only or primarily, with no restaurant seating near by, I agree 100%. If it is a bar and grill, and the restaurant seating is somewhere close to 15 feet away, then yeah, I don't think that logic will fly. Of course, the establishment is in a bit of a pickle, either ask the vocal gymnast to leave, hence removing the high profit customer, or risk the family leaving. . . I will say that if that is going on and management makes no effort to stop it, that is the last time I ever go there and you can bet I would tell everyone I know.

 

[DisDan]

So what's the BUZZ on Twitter or around Burbank on that HuffPo article? Anyone got some juciy news or fun twitter gossip regarding that article?

 

[WildcatDen]

[QUOTE="Mike S, post: 6517929, member: 97969]Seriously after reading that I hope they do look outside the company and get someone really good. Anyone have any ideas?[/QUOTE]
Pete Rose. I am sure he would only bet on the Parks to Win. . .

 

[Magenta Panther]

I'm no Iger fan based on what has happened to WDW under his leadership, but let's not forget the past. Eisner was responsible for a lot of major acquisitions in his day too. He really changed TWDC from a family owned business to a major media conglomerate. ABC/ESPN being his biggest move, but he was also responsible for Miramax, the Muppets, Fox Family (now ABC family) and he would have bought Pixar too if it wasn't for his clash with Jobs.

I prefer Eisner's approach to the parks for sure (especially WDW), but outside of P&R both Iger and Eisner grew the company largely through acquisitions (which were a mix of good and possibly bad for both).

Oh, I agree with you about Eisner's appetite for acquisitions - in fact, I think he's the one who started the whole trend at TWDC. BUT...he was engaged with the studios and with the parks, it seems to me, in ways that Iger is not. And that, to me, is his saving grace.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Yes, interesting that both this site and Micechat got props. I'm sure that's not because these sites actually attract a considerable audience of everyone from analysts to journalists, from creatives to execs, and not simply fanbois wanting to discuss why moving Small World to EPCOT would totally fix WDW!

The point as to "What is Disney?' today is a very interesting one (as I've stated before). A collection of BRANDS and franchises and IPs? Excuse me, but I thought that was a criticism of UNI?

WDW Magic has the best forum by far. So many knowledgable people, not just insiders either, but people with insights into construction, economics, social media, entertainment...I learn something every time I come here. Journalists who are interested in the Disney parks SHOULD come here if they're seeking well-thought-out opinions, instead of just the softball stuff the "official" Disney blogs and TWDC PR departments dish out.

And I agree about the "What is Disney" question. Disney is starting to lose its mojo as a creative company, I'm afraid, and starting to fit the image of the "evil media empire" that gets lampooned by the Simpsons and Robot Chicken and such. It kind of ticks me off, but what can anybody say to refute it? Eisner and especially Iger made that image come true...

 

[Magenta Panther]

Don't know if he wrote it but I would bet he has a copy of this article proudly displayed on the wall of his office.

There is a scary similarity of the article to Mr Spirit, more ways then one could even imagine

A more accurate article has never been written to date. Tonight a dark cloud has fallen on the halls of Burbank, stuff like this doesn't go unnoticed. There are probably a Tigger or two around here not to happy with the article as well. Even though Mr. Spirit has said many times that he has no interest in becoming the Al Lutz of WDW I think that him and a couple of other posters not named PO4.....ok yes named PO4 has had maybe not the same cause and effect but certainly the same conversations.....if there really is some CEO's here maybe they could pool together and pay the two?

What I will say is this article illustrates that this site is read by more people then just the few of us that post here. Steve must be a happy guy today....being "name dropped" in a article like this has to be good for business.
I suspect there will be a lot of IP addresses emanating from a California zip code here in the near future.

If the Spirit DID have anything to do with that article, well then, he deserves his own window on Main Street at the very least...

 

[Cesar R M]

Thats the problem in their thinking: They refuse to bring outsiders in and reject their ideas.

The corporate culture is essentially (stealing from the lego movie) "Everything is Awesome".... when their results couldnt be farther from the truth. Look at the stagnantion thats occurred over the past 10-15 years. They continue to reinforce that numbers driven, CYA culture with people whom have never worked anywhere else.

makes me wonder..

does Iger loves the taco Tuesdays?