Al Lutz reporting marketing push for 2011

[Grizzly Hall 71]

I don't mind them selling teddy bears. But Vinylmation wasn't part of a national marketing campaign either.

So it was just for WDW?

 

[NewfieFan]

Disney Bear (it's supposed to be Mickey's stuffed bear) was introduced several years ago at WDW and didn't really go anywhere. There is a minor Golden Books type book with him in it, called Disney Bear - they didn't use the Duffy name.

A relaunch with Duffy would probably not amount to much. But I guess it matters how full court press they go with the marketing. It was low key last time.

We have the book... my kids love it... and I hope they come up with an updated version of the story (especially after FL is complete). I looked high and low for a Disney Bear for my children and couldn't find one anywhere (except for a baby themed one, "My first Disney Bear") and then finally last August I found a plain Disney Bear (just like the one in the book) from Once Upon a Toy! At the time, they also had a different version (lower quality) of the Disney Bear as a promotion in the store as well.

For what it's worth I love the Disney Bear and so do my kids! They would like to see the character Disney Bear in the parks.

Here's a blog post on the little popular Bear in Tokyo http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/2009/02/most-popular-disney-character-in-tokyo.html

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Al Lutz is reporting the new marketing push for 2011 is Duffy the bear. Now duffy is supposed to be mickey's stuffed bear that accompanys him wherever he travels to. He says its already huge over in japan.

I wish that everyone would STOP QUOTING OR MENTIONING THAT INCOMPETENT FOOL, AL LUTZ!!!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I mostly agree. But I have to wonder if Potter hadn't opened and sent Disney into a merch frenzy if the marketing campaign still would have focused on selling a teddy bear.

I still have to disagree with the Potter connection. I doubt Disney would try to counter a franchised based major attraction like Potter with...a teddy bear merch line. If anything, the marketing push is to bring awareness and explain who/what is Duffy to US guests.

I'm reminded of how Marie (from The Aristocats) merch sold well in Japan and Disney eventually decided to push her stateside too. With the key difference between her and Duffy is the lack of pre-existing movie to support him.

 

[Grizzly Hall 71]

I still have to disagree with the Potter connection. I doubt Disney would try to counter a franchised based major attraction like Potter with...a teddy bear merch line. If anything, the marketing push is to bring awareness and explain who/what is Duffy to US guests.

I'm reminded of how Marie (from The Aristocats) merch sold well in Japan and Disney eventually decided to push her stateside too. With the key difference between her and Duffy is the lack of pre-existing movie to support him.

I wouldn't doubt it. Read this http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/bu...posts-first-attendance-gain-in-two-years.html


Hmmmm now are we sure Disney still has nothing to worry about?

 

[lebeau]

I still have to disagree with the Potter connection. I doubt Disney would try to counter a franchised based major attraction like Potter with...a teddy bear merch line. If anything, the marketing push is to bring awareness and explain who/what is Duffy to US guests.

I'm reminded of how Marie (from The Aristocats) merch sold well in Japan and Disney eventually decided to push her stateside too. With the key difference between her and Duffy is the lack of pre-existing movie to support him.

I'm certainly not trying to suggest that Duffy is Disney's "answer to Potter". I'm just saying that Potter raised their concern about merch and this seems like an (pretty shameless) attempt to sell merch.

 

[TP2000]

I think Duffy's kinda cute. I wouldn't mind a little merchandise here and there in Main Street, and a little M&G I wouldn't mind.

Al Lutz is saying Duffy will be featured in Epcot, not Magic Kingdom. In Anaheim he will be in DCA. In Tokyo he is in DisneySea.

Apparently Duffy resides only in the non-Disneyland style theme parks. Apparently to help boost merch sales in those alternate parks.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I wouldn't doubt it. Read this http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/bu...posts-first-attendance-gain-in-two-years.html

Again, I fail to see why Disney would counter Potter with Duffy. A 13 year old international best selling book and film series vs. a teddy bear only recognized in Japan as of now. How could it compete in selling power?

Duffy as I understand features bears and costumes for them. Potter has anything and everything attached to him (including high-priced specialty drinks that are cheap to produce).

This isn't me saying Disney isn't or never will be upset with Potter's income take. It's just me begin baffled by the suggestion that Disney feels Duffy of all things will take in as much revenue. Only time will tell for sure.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I'm certainly not trying to suggest that Duffy is Disney's "answer to Potter". I'm just saying that Potter raised their concern about merch and this seems like an (pretty shameless) attempt to sell merch.

I agree with this, but how is that different from the Disney we've know? The one who pushed pin trading and now Vinylmation.

 

[lebeau]

I agree with this, but how is that different from the Disney we've know? The one who pushed pin trading and now Vinylmation.

The difference would appear to be that pin trading and Vinylmation were never the subject of a national marketing campaign.

 

[NewfieFan]

The difference would appear to be that pin trading and Vinylmation were never the subject of a national marketing campaign.

So what would you like to see as a marketing campaign?

I don't see how Duffy or Disney Bear is different than anything else Disney sells, markets, pushes, etc. They are a business... they are all about making money.

If you ran a company and had a popular product selling like hotcakes in Japan... wouldn't you attempt to bring that product to American and see how it sells. And then why not try using that product as a marketing campaign!?!

I really don't see the big deal here... Disney Bear (Duffy) is a cute bear the compliments Mickey quite well. IF they develop a good story line for him in the US I foresee him becoming popular here as well.

 

[misterID]

I'm certainly not trying to suggest that Duffy is Disney's "answer to Potter". I'm just saying that Potter raised their concern about merch and this seems like an (pretty shameless) attempt to sell merch.

I'd agree with this.

 

[lebeau]

So what would you like to see as a marketing campaign?

I don't see how Duffy or Disney Bear is different than anything else Disney sells, markets, pushes, etc. They are a business... they are all about making money.

If you ran a company and had a popular product selling like hotcakes in Japan... wouldn't you attempt to bring that product to American and see how it sells. And then why not try using that product as a marketing campaign!?!

I really don't see the big deal here... Disney Bear (Duffy) is a cute bear the compliments Mickey quite well. IF they develop a good story line for him in the US I foresee him becoming popular here as well.

I don't begrduge Disney making a buck. By all means, sell teddy bears. Make every merchandising buck you can.

On the surface, I find the idea of basing a nationwide marketing campaign around selling a teddy bear to be desperate.

Like I've said before, execution is everything. Maybe when I see the marketing campaign, I'll be won over.

 

[NewfieFan]

The difference would appear to be that pin trading and Vinylmation were never the subject of a national marketing campaign.

Oh, and one other point I forgot to mention... pins and Vinylmation are not characters (they are items that feature characters... but the items are not the characters themselves). Disney Bear is a character... it's different to use an actual character in a marketing campaign than a pin or a Vinylmation figurine!

 

[GrumpyFan]

This just sounds like a joke. A bad one. Or, possibly a made up story somebody fed Al to make a fool of him, if nothing else it sounds like something made up to divert attention from what they're really planning. It just doesnt sound legitimate at all. Could it be that "Duffy" is just a project name?

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

Well, if it will be at EPCOT, then IDK where to place the little bear.

 

[lebeau]

Oh, and one other point I forgot to mention... pins and Vinylmation are not characters (they are items that feature characters... but the items are not the characters themselves). Disney Bear is a character... it's different to use an actual character in a marketing campaign than a pin or a Vinylmation figurine!

That's a fair distinction.

To me, if they put in a Duffy attraction and promoted that (with M&Gs and merch sales naturally), I can see basing a national marketing campaign around that.

But just throwing the guy on commericals for a resort where he has no presence other than merch and a M&G smells like a cash-grab to me. And unless they manage to really make people fall in love with this bear in 30-seconds, I don't see how it can succeed.

 

[NewfieFan]

I don't begrduge Disney making a buck. By all means, sell teddy bears. Make every merchandising buck you can.

On the surface, I find the idea of basing a nationwide marketing campaign around selling a teddy bear to be desperate.

Like I've said before, execution is everything. Maybe when I see the marketing campaign, I'll be won over.

Maybe the idea is to sell Disney World... with the added bonus of selling some stuffed bears on the side as well. To me this is no different than the Year of a Million Dreams Mickey!

Again, I don't see why this is desperate... using the above logic, every campaign that Disney has ever done is desperate! They have these campaigns to promote Disney while selling merch at the same time!

If the campaign works for them... I say more power to them! And I'll probably be in a line to buy Duffy!

 

[TP2000]

This just sounds like a joke. A bad one. Or, possibly a made up story somebody fed Al to make a fool of him, if nothing else it sounds like something made up to divert attention from what they're really planning. It just doesnt sound legitimate at all. Could it be that "Duffy" is just a project name?

I guess we'll know October 14th, the date Al says is the debut date for Duffy.

Get ready America, it's almost time to meet Duffy! :wave:

 

[lebeau]

Maybe the idea is to sell Disney World... with the added bonus of selling some stuffed bears on the side as well. To me this is no different than the Year of a Million Dreams Mickey!

I remember them selling Year of a Million Dreams merch. But I don't remember any previous marketing campaign being based around a character that has absolutely no connection to the domestic parks.

Duffy's sole reason for being seems to be to sell teddy bears. Nothing wrong with that in and of itself. But when you market the entire resort as a place to buy teddy bears, it starts to feel like Build-a-Bear. And we have one of those at every mall in the region.

Hopefully, the execution of the campaign will be better than what I'm imagining. I'd love to be wrong.

If we were in the parks when Duffy was being sold, I have no doubt we'd buy one too.