Disney’s brand mantra

1. Disney’s Brand Mantra
Why, What and How ?
Ankita Gupta
PGP31250

3. AboutTheWalt Disney Company(AKA DISNEY)
Founded in 1923
byWalt Disney and
Roy o Disney
In 1928 Disney’s
most iconic
character Mickey
Mouse featured in
SteamboatWillie
animated film
In 1950 moved
from film and
television to
amusement parks
(Disneyland
opened in 1955)
Mid 1980s grew
through models of
licensing and product
development
Current Businesses
Media & Networks
Parks and Resorts
Studio
Entertainment
Disney Consumer
products
Grew from 6.1 mn in
1991 to 52.4 bn in
2015

4. Famous Disney Characters
Donald Duck
Winnie the Pooh
Mickey Mouse

5. Disney Facing Crisis

6. Oops, Disney got a problem !
Growth through licensing and
product development
Impact on
consumers
‘Disney was Disney’ whether it was in films ,
theme parks or any consumer product
Wide implications for its brand equity
Over selling and
characters on
brand inconsistent
products,
Resentment over some
endorsements
Overexposure of
characters
Disney is exploiting its
characters too much

7. 1989 Article in Star News

8. Mickey Mouse overexposure
''Disney is a tradition, a part of our
culture. But if it gets to be too familiar,
too much a part of the landscape,
Mickey's going to burn out and take
Disney along with him.''
Mickey Sells; Is He Now Oversold?
NewYorkTimes, May 20, 1989

9. Is Brand Mantra the solution ??

10. What is Brand Mantra
“Three or four letter phrase that captures spirit of the brand positioning” Keller
Brand
Mantra
Brand
Essence
Core brand
promise
Guides
Campaigns
Build
consistent
brand image
“Guard
rails” to
avoid brand
inconsistent
actions
Guides
decision of
stakeholders

11. Brand Mantras
Nike: Authentic Athletic Performance
Disney: Fun Family Entertainment
Bose: Authentic Quality Sound
American Express: WorldclassService, Personal Recognition
BMW: Ultimate Driving Machine

12. Brand Mantra is not a tagline !!!
Brand Brand Mantra Tagline
Nike Authentic – Athletic – Performance Just Do It
Disney Fun – Family – Entertainment Where Dreams Come True
BMW Ultimate – Driving - Machine The Ultimate Driving Machine

13. Building Brand Mantra

14. Designing Brand Mantra
Emotional
qualifier
Descriptiv
e Modifier
Brand
Function
Brand Mantra
How does brand provide
benefits
In what ways
Nature of the benefits and
experience of brand
Nature of product or service
or type of experience or
benefits

15. Disney’s Brand Mantra
“Fun Family Entertainment”
Fun
Emotional Modifier
Family
Descriptive Modifier
Entertainment
Descriptive Modifier

16. Brand Mantra Guidelines
Points of Difference: What’s unique about you ?
Collective Meaning: You may be better in one
dimension of the brand associations of brand mantra
but together I am the best
Rapid growth brands: Brand function provides critical
guidance
Stable growth brands: Functional and emotional
modifiers are the key

17. Now show me how to implement ?
Brand Mantras: Rationale,Criteria and Examples
by Levin Lane Keller
Brand mantras are used for internal branding
A good brand mantra
- Communicate: Set brand boundaries, what
brand is and what it is not
- Simplify: short, crisp and vivid and ideally
memorable
- Inspire

18. Disney’s Story After Brand Mantra
Rejects offers mutual fund from
Europe:
Not entertainment !!!
Rejects offer from R rated
channel of Europe to
broadcast Disney movies
Not Family !!!

19. Disney Brand Mantra
Disney CEO Michael Eisner said
“A brand is a living entity, and it is enriched or undermined cumulatively over
time, the product of a thousand small gestures”
“Walt(Disney) genius had been to make Disney synonymous with the best is
family entertainment- whether it was theme park or a television show, an
animated movie or a Mickey Mouse watch…The name ‘Disney’ promised a certain
kind of experience: A wholesome family fun appropriate for kids of any age……..”

20. Conclusion
Brand Mantra are powerful and useful tools
- “Heart and Soul” of the brand
- Guides decisions
- Filter marketing activities
- Reinforce and support brand meaning

21. DISCLAIMER
Created by:
Ankita Gupta, IIM Lucknow (PGP31250)
during Marketing Internship
by
Prof. Sameer Mathur, IIM Lucknow