EpcotSpaceshipEarth.com Launches

[PintoColvig]

For those who've paid close enough attention to things over the years, how does the Siemens sponsorship compare to that of AT&T? Is it about the same, better, or worse?

 

[brkgnews]

Better. Without a doubt. For the last few years, AT&T's idea of integrating their message was to slap an AT&T logo on everything. Siemens is doing a much better job, I feel, of respecting the core mission of the park/attraction, and seamlessly integrating their sponsor message into it, rather than pasting it over it.

 

[tirian]

As previously discussed, certain parts of WDW advertising materials (including the websites) are either outsourced or done by someone so far away, they currently don't even know about the wand, causing it's absence. Even Epcot maps have been on and off with the wand.

As far as the merchandice, it could be for the above reasons, or possibly just something new they are trying to see if it sells. For every shirt without a wand, there's at least one with the wand.

Nothing is changing soon.

The web sites and merchandise are not outsourced; leaving off the wand is an intentional, in-house decision. It has been deliberately removed from all merch that doesn't target kids, as well as from the maps.

But don't misread this to mean that the wand is disappearing soon. I doubt that a final decision has been made yet. Also, before anyone throws the Orlando Sentinal quote at me, PR statements mean nothing. The "interior only" quote is the official PR jazz; a spokesperson wouldn't be given any information that WDI has not already greenlighted.

 

[tirian]

Better. Without a doubt. For the last few years, AT&T's idea of integrating their message was to slap an AT&T logo on everything. Siemens is doing a much better job, I feel, of respecting the core mission of the park/attraction, and seamlessly integrating their sponsor message into it, rather than pasting it over it.

That's because the Siemens reps actually care about this icon and their association with it. The attraction bears their name, and Siemens wants it to be the best thing in Epcot.

Europeans think about these sorts of things. Most Corporate American Megabusinesses (such as AT&T) don't.