Disney’s BILLION Dollar Marketing & Branding Strategy

Summary

This video script narrates the story of Disney's near collapse and its remarkable turnaround through innovative marketing strategies. It highlights the creation of Mickey Mouse and the Mickey Mouse watch, which became a cultural icon despite initial skepticism. The script shares five key lessons on thinking outside the box, the importance of influencer marketing, and the power of a strong brand. Viewers are also invited to participate in a giveaway for a chance to win the exact Mickey Mouse watch featured in the video.

Takeaways

• 🎬 The script tells the story of Disney's early struggles and its turnaround through innovative marketing and branding strategies.
• 👨‍💼 Walt Disney's initial animation career began in 1920 at the Kansas City Film Ad Company, followed by the creation of Laugh-O-Gram Films with Ub Iwerks in 1922.
• 📈 Disney's first significant success came with 'Alice in Cartoon Land,' which led to more orders and a move to California to expand the business.
• 📉 After bankruptcy and losing the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Disney created Mickey Mouse in 1928, which became an iconic brand ambassador.
• 🛍️ During the Great Depression, Disney hired Herman 'Kay' Kaman as a licensing agent to capitalize on the Mickey Mouse brand through various products.
• 🕰 The Mickey Mouse watch, initially thought by Walt Disney to be a poor idea, turned out to be a massive success, selling millions and becoming a cultural icon.
• 🤔 The story emphasizes the importance of thinking outside the box and not dismissing ideas too quickly, even if they seem unlikely at first.
• 🌟 Influencer marketing has been effective for a long time, as seen by celebrities like Grace Kelly and John Lennon wearing the Mickey Mouse watch, boosting its popularity.
• 🎉 Fun and non-boring products can be very successful in the market, as demonstrated by the Mickey Mouse watch's appeal during a challenging economic period.
• 🏆 Establishing a powerful brand can lead to the successful sale of a wide range of products, as Disney did with Mickey Mouse merchandise.
• 🎁 The video offers a chance to win the exact Mickey Mouse watch worn by the speaker, highlighting the ongoing relevance and appeal of the brand.

Q & A

What was the first thing that came to the speaker's mind when thinking of Disney?

Fun, excitement, family-friendly entertainment, and a little bit of magic.

Why did the speaker mention a watch at the beginning of the script?

The speaker is wearing a Mickey Mouse watch and teases a giveaway of the exact watch they are wearing during the video.

What was the first animation career move of Walt Disney?

Walt Disney began his animation career with the Kansas City Film Ad Company in Missouri in 1920.

What was the name of the company Walt Disney created with Ub Iwerks in 1922?

The company was called Laugh-O-Gram Films.

What was the name of the first character that Disney produced after facing bankruptcy?

The first character Disney produced after bankruptcy was Alice in Cartoon Land.

Why did Disney move to California after leaving Kansas City?

Disney moved to California to try to make it as a cinematographer after the success of 'Alice in Cartoon Land'.

What character did Disney create as a response to losing the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit?

Disney created Mickey Mouse as a response to losing the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

Who was Hermann 'Kay' Kaman and what was his role in Disney's success?

Hermann 'Kay' Kaman was Disney's licensing agent who helped to capitalize on the Mickey Mouse brand by putting Mickey on various products.

What was the initial reaction of Walt Disney to the idea of putting Mickey Mouse on a watch?

Walt Disney initially thought the Mickey Mouse watch would never sell.

What is one of the lessons from the Mickey Mouse watch story that the speaker emphasizes?

One lesson emphasized is the importance of thinking outside the box and not dismissing ideas too quickly.

How did the speaker describe the impact of the Mickey Mouse watch on Disney's business during the Great Depression?

The Mickey Mouse watch became a cultural icon and helped Disney's business significantly during the Great Depression by selling millions of units.

What was the significance of the 25 millionth Mickey Mouse watch being presented to Walt Disney?

The 25 millionth Mickey Mouse watch being presented to Walt Disney symbolized the immense success and popularity of the Mickey Mouse brand.

What was the speaker's final call to action for viewers interested in winning the Mickey Mouse watch?

The speaker asked viewers to like, comment, subscribe, and join their email list for a chance to win the exact Mickey Mouse watch they were wearing.

What additional content does the speaker suggest viewers check out after watching the video?

The speaker suggests viewers check out a video on Tesla's marketing strategy.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 The Rise and Near Fall of Disney

This paragraph narrates the journey of Disney from its inception to the brink of failure and its remarkable recovery. It begins with Walt Disney's animation career in 1920, the formation of Laughgram Films with Ub Iwerks, and the production of Alice in Cartoon Land. The story continues with Disney's bankruptcy, his move to California, and the creation of the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit character. However, the distributor's betrayal and Disney's realization that he didn't own Oswald's rights led to the creation of Mickey Mouse in 1928. The paragraph also introduces the concept of a marketing campaign involving Mickey Mouse and hints at the story behind Disney's success during the Great Depression.

05:02

🕰 Mickey Mouse Watch: A Timeless Marketing Marvel

This paragraph delves into the strategic move by Walt Disney to license Mickey Mouse's image during the Great Depression, a period of economic hardship. Hermann K. Cayman was hired as a licensing agent to capitalize on the Mickey Mouse brand. Initially, Walt Disney was skeptical about the Mickey Mouse watch's success, but it turned out to be a massive hit, selling in large quantities and becoming a cultural icon. The watch's success is attributed to its appeal to both children and influential celebrities, demonstrating the power of influencer marketing. The paragraph also highlights the importance of thinking outside the box and the role of a strong brand in selling products, even in challenging economic times.

Keywords

💡Disney

Disney is a multinational entertainment company known for its theme parks, movies, and characters. In the video, Disney is highlighted for its ability to overcome failure through innovative marketing and branding campaigns, making it a central theme of the video's narrative.

💡Marketing Campaign

A marketing campaign is a series of promotional efforts from a company to boost awareness and sales of a product or service. The video discusses one of Disney's most powerful marketing campaigns involving Mickey Mouse, which was instrumental in turning the company's fortunes during the Great Depression.

💡Brand Ambassador

A brand ambassador is a person or character who represents a brand's image and values. In the script, Mickey Mouse is described as an iconic brand ambassador for Disney, helping to solidify the company's identity and appeal to audiences worldwide.

💡Great Depression

The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic downturn in the 1930s. The video uses this historical context to illustrate the challenges Disney faced and how its marketing strategies helped it to thrive despite widespread economic hardship.

💡Licensing

Licensing in a business context refers to the permission granted by one party to another for using its intellectual property. In the video, Disney's licensing strategy, particularly with Mickey Mouse, is highlighted as a key element of its success.

💡Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a strategy where businesses partner with influential people to promote products or services. The video mentions that celebrities and prominent figures wearing Mickey Mouse watches served as a form of early influencer marketing, boosting the product's popularity.

💡Cultural Icon

A cultural icon is a person or thing that is widely recognized and has a significant influence on a society or culture. The Mickey Mouse watch is described in the video as a cultural icon, reflecting its widespread recognition and impact on popular culture.

💡Strategic Move

A strategic move in business is a calculated decision intended to give an advantage or solve a problem. Disney's shift to an all-cartoon series and the creation of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, followed by Mickey Mouse, are presented in the video as strategic moves that helped the company.

💡Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a legal status for individuals or businesses who are unable to repay their outstanding debts. The video script mentions Disney's early struggles, including bankruptcy, which was a turning point leading to the company's reinvention and success.

💡Walt Disney

Walt Disney was the co-founder of the Disney company and a pioneer in the animation industry. The video script recounts his early career, business challenges, and innovative decisions that shaped the company's trajectory.

💡Mickey Mouse Watch

The Mickey Mouse Watch is a specific product that became a symbol of Disney's marketing prowess. The video details its introduction, popularity, and impact on Disney's brand, illustrating the power of a well-executed product launch.

Highlights

Disney's initial association with fun, excitement, and family-friendly entertainment.

The near failure of Disney and its turnaround through clever marketing and branding.

Lessons from Disney's powerful and profitable marketing campaigns.

The introduction of a watch giveaway as an engagement strategy.

Walt Disney's early animation career and the founding of the Kansas City Film Ad Company.

The creation of the character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and subsequent loss of rights.

The birth of Mickey Mouse as a response to Disney's setback with Oswald.

The strategic move to an all-cartoon series and the importance of brand ambassadors.

The Great Depression's impact on the Disney Company and the introduction of Mickey Mouse watches.

Hiring Hermann K. Kayman as a licensing agent to expand Mickey Mouse's brand presence.

The initial skepticism and eventual success of Mickey Mouse watches.

Influencer marketing's role in the popularity of Mickey Mouse watches.

The cultural impact of Mickey Mouse watches and their sales achievements.

The importance of thinking outside the box and the value of persistence in business.

The power of establishing a strong brand in selling diverse products.

Details on how to participate in the Mickey Mouse watch giveaway.

A teaser for the next video on Tesla's marketing strategy featuring Elon Musk.

Transcripts

when i think of disney the first thing

that comes to mind is fun excitement

family-friendly entertainment and maybe

even a little bit of magic oh yeah and

people lots and lots of people but the

one thing that never really occurs to me

is just how close disney came to

complete and utter failure and how they

were able to turn it all around and save

themselves thanks to a clever and also

incredibly unlikely marketing and

branding campaign and that's what this

episode is all about so let me tell you

a story behind one of the most powerful

and profitable marketing campaigns that

disney has ever had as well as five

important lessons that you can take away

from it and immediately apply to your

own business or idea or message i'm also

going to explain why i'm wearing this

watch and maybe more interestingly how

you can win this watch nope not an exact

copy of this watch but this exact watch

that i'm wearing right now right here in

this video alright let's get started but

to help me tell this story we first need

to go back way back to 1920 where walt

disney himself first began his animation

career with the kansas city film ad

company in missouri now even though this

is where walt got his start it was a

couple years later in 1922 when he

joined forces with his friend of iwerks

possibly the world's most interesting

name and they created a company called

lafagram films and started to produce a

series of different cartoons around

different stories and fairy tales it was

a year later though in 1923 that disney

first produced alice in cartoon land

this was a combination of both animation

and live action and was originally

intended to be a pilot in a whole series

of future alice cartoons but this is

where things start to fall apart within

only a few weeks of its completion

disney filed for bankruptcy packed up

all this stuff left kansas city and

along with his brother roy moved to

california to try to make it as a

cinematographer alice in cartoon land

however actually turned out to be a

pretty big hit and as more and more

orders four more alice cartoons from

different distributors started to roll

in well it sort of compelled disney to

re-open his shop in california with his

brother roy soon after that the rest of

his team moved from kansas city to

california and they spent the next four

years working on these alice films then

four years later in 1927 disney made the

strategic move towards an all-cartoon

series and created the character oswald

the lucky rabbit and within a year

disney had made 26 of the oswald

cartoons but oswald wasn't so lucky or

in this case disney wasn't so lucky

because another problem then presented

itself a problem however that would

eventually lead to disney's greatest

success here's what happened walt who

was looking to secure another round of

funding in order to produce another year

of oswald the lucky rabbit cartoons well

he went to his distributor and realized

some pretty unfortunate news you see

walt's distributor had gone behind his

back and hired most of his animators out

from under him but to make things worse

upon re-reading his contract disney

realized that he didn't even own the

rights to oswald the lucky rabbit and so

there was pretty much nothing he could

do nothing that is except create a newer

better and more appealing version of

oswald and so in 1928 with the release

of the animated film steamboat willy the

world was introduced to mickey mouse one

of if not the most iconic and

recognizable cartoon characters in all

of history now clearly the creation of

an iconic mascot and brand ambassador

like mickey mouse to represent your

business is a stroke of genius but the

real business and marketing and branding

success took place a few years later

during one of the darkest times in

economic history and with an unlikely

product that even walt disney himself

didn't think was going to sell the year

was 1932 and the now 10 year old disney

company was struggling it was the great

depression and people were out of work

and out of money and well greatly

depressed

yeah it's a terrible joke i know it was

at this point that walt disney hired a

fellow by the name of hermann k cayman

to act as his licensing agent kay's job

was to start hiring out mickey to hawk

different products and this is the first

lesson from this story appreciate it's

totally cliched but the reality is if

you want to succeed you really do need

to think outside the box in this case

looking for other ways to capitalize on

the mickey mouse brand in the book

mickey mouse reader it describes how

when walt was first presented with the

idea to put mickey mouse on a watch well

his response was that it'll never sell

fortunately he was wrong as the book

goes on to say the watch now outsells

its nearest children's competitor watch

ten to one and this is lesson number two

that you need to think twice before you

take advice most people are simply going

to say it'll never work that is until it

does in this case even though walt

himself didn't think the idea was going

to work he trusted k enough to go

through with the idea and it's a really

good thing he did because it wasn't just

children's watches that were selling

with mickey mouse on them as even a

number of very prominent and very

influential leaders and celebrities in

the space started to wear the mickey

mouse watch people like grace kelly

sammy davis jr john lennon andy warhol

johnny carson and even buzz aldrin the

famous astronaut who followed neil

armstrong onto the moon on that fateful

day july 20th 1969. and this leads me to

lesson number three which is that

influencer marketing has been around for

a very long time long before the term

influencer even existed this is because

the boosts in authority and credibility

and leveraging other people's platforms

has always been a very effective

marketing strategy and so what started

on may 22nd 1933 when the patent was

first filed for the mickey mouse watch a

watch i might add that was originally

sold for 2.98 cents and whose pin lever

movement was made up of surplus from

world war one well that watch became a

cultural icon and this is lesson number

four the fact that a little bit of fun

goes a really long way and the worst

thing that you can be in business is

boring and it turns out that this

inexpensive and fun little watch was

exactly what the market wanted and it

proved this when during a single

promotion at macy's over 11 000 mickey

mouse watches were sold in a single day

and in only a little over two years they

had managed to sell 2.5 million mickey

mouse watches and in 1957 the 25

millionth mickey mouse watch was

presented to walt disney who somewhat

interestingly actually wore a rolex and

not a mickey mouse watch

and this is lesson number five in that

establishing a powerful brand can sell

pretty much anything so at this point

there's two things that you might want

to do first if you'd like to enter for

your chance to win this exact mickey

mouse watch not another one like it but

this exact watch that i'm wearing right

here right now in this video all you

need to do is to like to comment to

subscribe and then i'll pick a winner

from random using the random number

generator and announce the winner on my

email list so if you're not already on

the email list all you need to do to

join is visit adamerhart.com

cheat sheet or click the link in the

descriptions below it's fast it's easy

and it's free next for even more

marketing strategies and what these

actually look like in the real world the

next thing you're going to want to do is

check out the video that i've got linked

up right here on tesla's marketing

strategy so make sure to check it out

now and i'll see in the next video and

they're being led by an outspoken media

savvy and polarizing leader the one and

only elon musk who is basically a

walking talking marketing machine so

while their business growth