Josha_Reznik_ResearchPortfolio

Running head: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHARACTERS
The Wonderful World of Characters:
Development and Longevity of Disney’s Brands
Joshua Reznik
Temple University

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF CHARACTERS 2
The Wonderful World of Characters:
Development and Longevity of Disney’s Brands
“Think of all the joy you’ll find when you leave the world behind.” (“You Can Fly! You Can
Fly! You Can Fly!, Peter Pan, 1953)
Entertainment is the key to providing audiences with moments of release from their day-
to-day routines. It is the sole purpose of the entertainment companies to conceptualize brands of
characters and stories that can be adapted, ultimately with the goal to engage audience members
and immerse them in the “realities” that they create. Influential children’s media brands evoke an
atmosphere designed to entertain and educate. As such, the Walt Disney Company, in
continuously developing new character brands that are featured in motion pictures exemplifies its
consideration of children when such media content is created. Using five distinct divisions,
Disney aims to provide the necessary content to meet the entertainment standards of its
consumers (“Company overview”). Disney, since the beginning in 1928 with the release of
Steamboat Willie, has managed to launch numerous successful movies and character brands.
Each Disney brand aim to entertain children with the initial project, and then later develop
expansive product lines aims to maintain the longevity of the character brands (“Disney
history”). Using various platforms to preserve the characters, Disney asserts its position in the
children’s media landscape and reaches its intended target audiences.
The Walt Disney Brand: A History
The present-day image of the Walt Disney Company and its host of brands and characters
is rooted in decades of history that begins when Walt Disney himself created the company’s
signature character: Mickey Mouse when he was first introduced in 1928 in Steamboat Willie
(“Disney history”). Mickey Mouse became a household name in entertainment. Chris Pallant

(2011), author of Demystifying Disney, spoke to the nature of Mickey Mouse in American
cinema, stating, “Most viewers would probably identify Mickey Mouse as the sole perpetrator of
this chaos” (p. 3). At the helm of all character brands that Disney presents to audiences today,
Mickey Mouse is the recognizable face of the company. It was Walt Disney himself that
proclaimed that his creation is what started the whole company. Disney said, “I only hope that
we don’t lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse” (“Disney history”). Once
Mickey Mouse became a known figure in movies, his adventures continued and provided a
character brand of entertainment.
The Walt Disney Company started small and domestically, before transforming into a
profound name in entertainment. The company’s corporate website has proclaimed this by
saying, “For more than nine decades, the name Walt Disney has been preeminent in the field of
family entertainment.” The company itself recognizes the successes that have come about over
the past decades, and understand that it has a commitment to fulfill in continuing to entertain
families globally and domestically (“Company overview”). Mark Pinsky (2004), author of The
Gospel According to Disney, states that Disney is a kingdom that dictates its actions on the
fantastical bases of faith, trust, pixie dust, and magic (pp. 1-2). He points out that Disney has
differentiated its media from that of its competitors due to a different form of aestheticism,
stating, “For the past seventy-five years, through its films, toys, books, and theme parks, Disney
has created a world of fantasy—based on a set of shared American beliefs—that both entertains
and educates children in this country and around the world” (Pinsky, 2004, p. 3).
Disney’s Animated Success
In 1937, Disney exploded onto the cinematic map, branching into feature-length color
animation (unprecedented for that time). Disney’s reimagining of Snow White and the Seven

Dwarfs brought about a new era for the company, what Pallant describes as the Disney-Formalist
period due to the commercial success of the film (2011, p. 39). This ability to popularize
animation significantly impacted American cinema as Disney launched into creating animated
features that displayed iconic characters, many of whom yield continued popularity today
(“Disney history”). During this formal period, the early era of Disney feature-length animation,
the budding dynasty struck a chord with the general masses, especially children, because it
introduced a technique called hyperrealism, which essentially brought the fictional characters to
life in film in new creative ways (Pallant, 2011, p. 42). The early era of Disney films were
initially presented via a sole media platform, film. Disney sought to seek no further than to
present its stories in a way that engaged children for the desired length of time. This is indicated
as the studio continuously rolled out successful animated films following Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs. Some of the following films—Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Bambi—each exhibited
similar structure to that of its predecessor, but are strikingly different to that of contemporary
Disney animated features (Pallant, 2011).
The Disney Renaissance. After many more decades of film releases, the Disney brand reached a
period from which some of the most iconic animated features came to fruition on-screen, and
simultaneously became prominent figures in children’s lives. On the subject of this Disney
Renaissance, Pallant (2011) comments:
When periodizing the evolution of Disney feature animation, the films released between
1989 and 1999 are key. These films, The Little Mermaid (1989), The Rescuers Down
Under (1990), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994),
Pocahontas (1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Mulan
(1998) and Tarzan (1999), collectively—and commonly—referred to as the Disney
Renaissance, reflect a phase of aesthetic and industrial growth at the Studio. (p. 89)
What separated this collection of Disney films from its predecessors is that the artistic technique
used is reminiscent of the earlier formalist period (Pallant, 2011, p. 89). Audience members,

particularly children, are transported away from their daily lives to the imagined realities in each
of these Renaissance films. In The Little Mermaid (1989), children are introduced to protagonist
Ariel in her underwater world and become part of the story in which she strives to experience life
on land. The Lion King (1994) transports children to the visually stunning African savannas as
they accompany Simba’s journey through life before he realizes his true destiny. Many of these
films yielded vastly successful feedback around the globe, as most grossed hundreds of millions
of dollars globally. By comparison, The Little Mermaid, the Renaissance period’s first film,
earned nearly the same amount in its immediate release, as did its three predecessors in the 1980s
(Pallant, 2011, p. 92).
Disney’s Properties for Development and Longevity
A growing repertoire of films entertaining children became a salient feature of the Disney
brand, and struck a cord in children’s entertainment, as Henry Giroux and Grace Pollock (2010)
point out in The Mouse that Roared (2010, p. 91). Giroux and Pollock (2010) state, “In other
words […] such films appear to be wholesome vehicles of amusement, a highly regarded and
sought after source of fun and joy for children” (2010, p. 91). Andi Stein (2011), author of Why
We Love Disney and Professor of Communications at California State University, Fullerton
points out that notable characters such as Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Belle of Beauty and the
Beast, and Jasmine from Aladdin, have become keystone characters in today’s Disney Princess
franchise that aims to incorporate eleven characters’ original stories in various media platforms,
from film to television, theme park attractions and merchandise (see Case Study) (2011, p. 57).
At the height of this success, Disney made deliberate efforts to utilize its characters in every
medium available, which led to several innovative creations that have had profound impacts on

children’s entertainment. In speaking about the films of the Disney Renaissance period, Giroux
and Pollock (2010), in The Mouse that Roared, state the following:
All of these films were commercially successful in theaters and also generated a spate of
brand franchises. Connecting the rituals of consumption and movie-going, each of
Disney’s animated films establishes a ‘marketplace of culture,’ becoming a launch pad
for endless numbers of spin-off products and merchandise that include DVDs, video
games, Internet sites, soundtrack albums, children’s clothing, furniture, stuffed toys, and
new theme park rides. (p. 99)
As a result of successful box office sales, children are able to continue enjoying the characters
and stories through various mechanisms utilized by Disney, such as their theme parks and digital
properties via mobile applications and other interactive media.
Disney Parks as Physical Constructions of Stories
One method used by Disney to develop and maintain longevity with its successful
character brands and stories is by creating physical representations of its fantastical worlds in its
theme parks domestically and around the world (“Company overview”). At the same time,
Disney is presenting their memorable stories that continue to entertain and educate children
around the world (“Company overview”). From the earliest film, Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs (1937), to the recent box office success, Frozen (2013), Disney has interpreted its
cinematic works on large scales that whisk guests away into the fantastical realities each story
presents. In looking at Frozen (2013), Disney has decided to tap into the film’s global success
and expand its presence in its parks by developing a host of physical changes in the park to
reflect such popularity. Sandra Pedicini (2014) of the Orlando Sentinel reported that Frozen
would now have a greater presence at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, specifically in
Epcot. Pedicini writes, “Disney’s decision to replace a Norwegian-themed Epcot ride with the
animated princesses of ‘Frozen’ is part of what experts describe as a gradual shift toward cartoon
and thrills at a theme park rooted in technology and culture” (2014). What Disney aims to do

with the Frozen attraction is to link it culturally with the setting’s inspiration (Pedicini, 2014). In
doing so, Disney is tapping into the fundamental idea of the schema theory. The Kingdom of
Arendelle, Frozen’s main setting, is inspired by the Scandinavian nation of Norway, as many of
the nation’s cultural and aesthetic features are highlighted throughout the film (Pedicini, 2014).
By creating a new attraction based on the film, Disney is creating a fantastical world that is to
prolong the movie’s popularity while at the same time exhibiting how Norway should be viewed.
Essentially, this is to say that if a child were to travel to Norway, he or she would see the
Kingdom of Arendelle from Frozen (2013).
Disney Parks are used as a mechanism to create physical representations of the stories
told in films. The parks’ attractions also assist in reintroducing forgotten characters and stories,
as is the case with Splash Mountain, an attraction based on the early film Song of the South
(1946) as pointed out by Jason Sperb (2012), Indiana University Professor of Communications
and Culture, in Disney’s Most Notorious Film. Sperb (2012) explains that the theme park
attraction was constructed as the film’s cultural context was fleeing, stating the following:
The most significant of these fragments was the theme park attraction “Splash
Mountain,” which was based solely on the film’s animated sequences. It may appear at
first glance foolish to try to reuse Song of the South at all, given the cultural issues
attached to the film, the considerable financial investment that rides require, and the
physical permanence of a theme park attraction. (p. 160)
With its physical interpretation standing tall in each Disney theme park around the world, Disney
is able to continue telling the story of Song of the South’s characters. While much criticism
surrounds racial characterizations in Song of the South (1946), Disney decided to reconnect
children with its repertoire and rework the story to revive the notable animated characters—Br’er
Rabbit, Br’er Fox, and Br’er Bear—and preserve the film via the attraction (Sperb, 2012, p. 229).
This is the aim of using the theme parks as a medium for longevity and revival. Over the course

of sixty years, many films, both animated and live-action have remained alive due to the physical
replicas built in Disney theme parks. Andi Stein (2011), in Why We Love Disney, explains that
the theme parks are necessary in establishing the connection between the films and stories and
the consumers, especially children (2011, p. 25). In talking about the opening of Disneyland in
1955, Stein (2011) states, “What made the park special was that it was a three-dimensional
depiction of many of the stories and characters the public already knew about and loved through
Disney’s films” (2011, p. 25).
Children are able connect the Disney brand in real time with their own perceptions of
their surroundings. The theme parks provide an example of the cultivation theory in that children
are cultivating perceptions of the fantastical worlds around them and assimilating them into their
own realities. Notably in Disney Parks, the iconic castles are designed to represent the home of
either Cinderella or Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (1959) (Walt disney world). The castles act as
the salient features of each park, while simultaneously serving the purpose to connect the
characters with the children’s prior experiences with the characters. A child riding Peter Pan’s
Flight based on Peter Pan (1953) experiences Disney’s conception of London and is able to
make assumptions as to how the city looks in reality (“Disneyland resort”). Children perceive
that the fantastic lands they are experiencing in the parks are that of Disney films.
Disney’s Digital Storytelling
The use of mobile devices and applications has opened up a world of potential to develop
new stories and characters from beloved films. Disney is also able to establish a firm presence
for character brands that are revered by children. As a result, Disney has tapped into this trend
and tells its stories via mobile applications, which enable children to play games and read along
with their favorite characters from various animated films, including for example Frozen Free

Fall, which follows the adventures of Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and others from Frozen (2013). These
mobile applications play a part in Disney’s ability to build and maintain character brands. Andi
Stein (2011) in Why We Love Disney stated, “As mobile devices become increasingly more
integral to people’s everyday lives, Disney appears committed to broadening its reach to
audiences through as many different mobile applications as possible” (p. 208). Mobile
applications are used by Disney to present stories in ways that will engage users in the original
stories and films in which the characters appeared. The stories are preserved in a convenient,
digital format that entertains and educates children through interactive gameplay with Disney
branded characters as they control how the characters experience the story.
Disney interactive looks to serve a mission to the children who look to connect with the
brand of characters developed over time (“Company overview”). One way in which Disney has
been able to connect with children digitally and engage them in the realities they create is
through the creation of virtual worlds that are identical to those of the original settings (Stein,
2011, p. 203). In the virtual worlds, the character brands live past their films, and children are
able to reinvent the stories they have come to know and love. Stein (2011) points out one specific
example, Pixie Hollow, which connects children with characters from the Disney Fairies
franchise, including characters like TinkerBell, Silvermist, Iridessa, and Vidia (p. 206). The
virtual worlds offered through Disney Interactive provide an Internet-based extension of the
original stories and characters popularized through film. Disney utilizes the virtual worlds to tie
together all the properties and devices used to extend a character brand’s life, as it becomes a
static reminder of what children had initially viewed (Stein, 2011, p. 206).
While the response toward virtual worlds was popular among children, Disney Interactive
still sought to provide an updated video game format to maintain the longevity of many character

brands (“Company overview”). In fiscal year 2012, Disney’s total revenue was $42.278 billion,
of which the interactive division earned $845 million, only about two percent of the company’s
total revenue (The walt disney company). Disney Interactive sought to increase revenue from its
products offerings, and in 2013 released Disney Infinity, a video game platform designed to
provide children with another opportunity to virtually engage with their favorite characters. Ben
Fitz (2013) of the Wall Street Journal reported on Disney Infinity entering the interactive media
market, and highlighted the key characteristics that children are able to interact with the
characters via separately purchased figurines that, when placed on a specially designed scanner,
allow the user to construct the virtual world around that specific character (2013, pp. B1-B5).
Fitz (2013) reports:
With "Infinity," players can create their own Disney-inspired landscapes and game levels
in a mode called "toybox." They can also bring characters, such as the tow truck Mater
from "Cars" and Jack Sparrow from "Pirates of the Caribbean," into the game by buying
$13 figurines and placing them on a special scanner (pp. B1-B5).
Much as with the Internet-based virtual worlds allowing children to reconstruct the virtual
worlds, Disney Infinity allows children to reimagine the stories they have come to enjoy. In that
respect, the video game allows children to assert themselves as consumers of the Disney brand,
establish their own loyalties to the products and character brands, and willingly elect to continue
engaging with the characters in any of the formats provided to them.
Case Study: Disney Princess
Disney began its dominance of feature-length animated films with a story about a
princess. Following the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, two additional princess-
based films were released, Cinderella (1950) and Sleeping Beauty (1959). Many new Disney
Princess characters arose during the company’s Renaissance period: The Little Mermaid (1989),
Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), and Mulan (1998). Each new

movie that was released featured a princess as the main character. As Disney began to
experiment with newer forms of animation, more films were developed, and thus continued to
add to the expanding franchise. A princess as the main character may be seen in The Princess
and the Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), and Brave (2012). Collectively, the princesses featured in
these films comprise the Disney Princess franchise. Introduced in 2000, the Disney Princess
franchise aimed to bring each female protagonist, their accompanying stories and characters
together into a single franchise that would maintain the longevity of each individual character
concurrently (Whalen, 2014, p. 174).
Development of the Disney Princess Franchise
The Disney Princess characterization has existed since the dawn of the Disney animated
film. The company based its successes on these early films, and strove to reimagine the classic
fairytales that children had grown up with. Bridget Whalen (2014) in Kidding Around stated, “By
rendering the princess and her narrative on film, and in beautiful, vivid color at that, Disney
brought the princess narrative to life in a way that children had never before witnessed” (pp. 170-
171). Disney tapped into stories written decades before, reinvented the way they were told, and
built polarizing fantasies around them. Cardiff University lecturer Rob Gossedge (2012) points
out that many Disney Princess stories were adapted from fairytales written by German brothers
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, French author Charles Perrault, and Danish author Hans Christian
Andersen (2012, pp. 115-116). Disney’s first animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
(1937) was adapted from the fairytale of the same name by Germany brothers Jacob and
Wilhelm Grimm. In his research, University of Leeds doctoral student Paul Sturtevant (2012)
points out in his essay British Understandings of the Medieval Past an observation made in the
construction of the Disney version of the same story, stating, “They’ve kind of taken the nice bits

of the Grimm brothers’ tales […] what we know of them [the stories] is [sic] kinda had all the
nasty bits taken out and it’s mainly what Disney’s done to aim them at children” (as cited in
Sturtevant, 2012, p. 81). The wave of popularity that the Disney Princess franchise garnered was
unparalleled by any other character brand created by Disney. A reason behind the popularity the
Disney Princess franchise exemplifies fantasies of privilege and nobility while simultaneously
being able to connect emotionally with the child audiences (as cited in Whalen, 2014, p. 175).
The key element that the Disney Princess franchise possesses and is present in all of the
franchise films is a fantasy world is brought to life. Whether it is the undersea kingdom of
Atlantica in The Little Mermaid (1989) or the majestic land of Agrabah in Aladdin (1992),
children are enamored by the possibility of emotionally connecting with the protagonist and
assimilating to the lifestyle showcased in the film. This connects again with the cultivation
theory in that children viewing the princesses are perceiving how they conduct their lives and
then judging how that would fit in realistically. Disney Princesses, as a franchise, maintain their
popular longevity due to the constructed fantasy that Disney creates when it releases a princess
film. As Whalen (2014) discusses, there is a captivating element in the Disney Princess franchise
that has continued to attract audiences to experience such fantasies. She highlights a key point of
regarding the portrayal of the princess figure in media, stating that “fairy tales play to the child’s
hankering after nobler, richer, altogether better origins, the fantasy of being a prince or a princess
in disguise, the Freudian ‘family romance’” (as cited in Whalen, 2014, p. 175). What
differentiates the Disney Princess franchise is that these character brands, both individually and
collectively, are able to provide children with that fantasy that one would wish to be whisked
away to.
Characteristics of Disney Princess

The Disney Princess franchise is significantly different from that of other character
brands within Disney, ranging from treatment of character development to story adaptation.
These character brands instilled in girls that life can be lived in a certain way, and that this could
be an ideal of how they themselves could live in society (Whalen, 2014, p. 177). Some have
debated this air of fantasy, coupled with certain exhibited behaviors of the female protagonists in
each film, while others feel it promotes ideologies for girls to momentarily escape to the
princesses’ realities (Whalen, 2014, p. 186). Despite the negative criticisms that exist regarding
the Disney Princess franchise, Disney continues to develop new characters that can eventually
become part of the brand, and will ultimately become part of children’s lives as consumers.
Dawn England et al. (2011) in Sex Roles summated their research on the Disney Princess
franchise, stating, “As evidenced by the release of the most recent Disney Princess film
[Tangled], the Disney Princess line is a popular and current form of children’s media. The
impressive marketing power and international presence of the Disney Princess products ensures
they will remain influential in the lives of children” (p. 566).
The notable trait that appears evident in the character development of the Disney
princesses is their longing for love and their relationship with nobility (Whalen, 2014, p. 181).
One of the main storylines that acts as an overarching theme in the Disney Princess films is the
female protagonist’s journey based on aspirations to engage in some relationship, ultimately
resulting in marriage (Whalen, 2014, p. 181). Whalen (2014) points out this vital component of
the princess storyline drives the story along, stating, “Romance often completely drives the plot
forward in earlier Disney Princess films—consider, for example, Cinderella’s desire to dance wit
Prince Charming at the ball, or Ariel’s desire to become human and meet Prince Eric” (p. 181).
In both the instances of Cinderella in Cinderella (1950) and Ariel in The Little Mermaid (1989),

the female protagonist sought a relationship that seems ideal, but required a great deal of effort to
accomplish. Both Cinderella and Ariel’s experiences bring about critical ideas regarding the
portrayal of relationships in media versus those in reality. The concept of seeking out love is a
recurring commonality throughout the Disney Princess franchise as many films end with a
marriage or declaratory love scene (Whalen, 2014, p. 181). Love is a recurring theme in Disney
Princess films, but is trumped by some of the franchise’s characters, mainly Tiana from The
Princess and the Frog (2009) and Mulan from Mulan (1998) as both use their personal ambitions
as their primary motivations throughout their stories (Whalen, 2014, p. 181). The concept of love
provides a reason for many of the stories to carry forward throughout the films, but is not
necessarily the primary motivation for the female protagonists to carry out their ultimate
ambitions.
Critical analysis of the Disney Princess franchise
The Disney Princess franchise remains a major component in the company’s overall
marketing and brand development schemes, as the character brand had brought in as much as $4
billion in 2009 (as cited in Stein, 2011, p. 57). Disney princesses attracted young girls into
dreaming big and having high ambitions (Stein, 2011, p. 58). In following along the main
premise of the schema theory of development, a child who connects with the Disney Princess
franchise is likely one who would make the assumption that the characteristics portrayed on
screen happen in the real world. Essentially, the Disney Princess reality is how young ladies are
to act in the real world. Stein (2011) points out that this idea sends mixed messages to young
girls who are likely to associate most with the brand, stating the following:
Some claim it [Disney Princess] is sending the wrong message to young females by
encouraging them to focus on being beautiful and on waiting for Prince Charming to
come and rescue them rather than learning to become strong and independent individuals.
Others believe the Princess concept teaches young girls they can be anything they want—

including a princess—and that being a princess is more about feeling empowered and
attractive than it is about finding a prince. (pp. 57-58)
The Disney Princess franchise raises awareness that girls should be grounded in their morals and
builds an understanding that they need to be independent and should be ambitious to achieve
anything they want. The cultivation theory is emphasized in this case as girls are to conceptualize
their own perceptions of the world, and decide for themselves if the lives the Disney princesses
are living are realistic or pure fantasy. The Disney princesses have been used as part of a larger
narrative in feminism, something that extends well beyond the screen (Whalen, 2014, p. 177).
Whalen (2014) states, “For generations, Disney has used the princess narrative to instill in its
viewers an understanding of the position of girls and women in American society” (p. 177).
There is the notion that the Disney Princess franchise, although exhibiting debatable qualities,
speaks to generations of girls who have grown up with the character brands and have since
passed them down to their daughters. Through this understanding of the Disney Princess
franchise, the character brand is able to live on and continue to manifest.
Another critical issue that is brought up due to the presence of the Disney Princess
franchise is the characters’ portrayals when facing adversity, mainly in part to their
characterization to act subservient to that of their male counterparts. Syracuse University
professor of Cinema Studies and Popular Culture Douglas Brode (2005) stresses the role of the
female character as one that is designed to represent independence and ambition (p. 167). In
looking at the story development of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Brode (2005)
states, “This Snow White will stand alongside her husband, living a thoroughly revised definition
of what we mean by the term ‘happily ever after’” (p. 183). The idea that despite all that Snow
White faces throughout the film in escaping from her stepmother’s murderous attempts, her fate
is that she will be whisked away by the Prince and cater to his needs as his princess. A critical

perception of this outcome highlights the difference between the portrayals of gender roles in
children’s media versus that of real life. In the form of a Disney princess film, many of the
female protagonists are initially presented serving a subservient role to their male counterparts.
In Beauty and the Beast (1991), Belle portrays the subordinate role to the Beast’s dominance and
rage stemming from his past. A modern feminist view would dictate that Belle should play a
more key role in tempering the Beast’s anger, as well as acting much more independently than to
serve as the Beast’s prisoner in exchange for her father’s safety (Brode, 2005, p. 267). Disney
princesses, in a more modern sense, should assert independence and seek to achieve their
ambitions, as is recognized as a debating view of the franchise’s overall message (Stein, 2011, p.
58).
Diversity in the Disney Princess franchise
With the introduction of each new princess into the franchise, Disney has revamped the
ideologies surrounding the general characteristics of the Disney Princess. On two occasions, the
Disney Princess franchise as a successful character brand grew in awareness, as well as in
attention. The Disney Princess changed drastically with the introduction of Tiana in The Princess
and the Frog (2009). Tiana was the first African-American princess character introduced into the
Disney Princess franchise. On the characterization of Tiana and her placement in the franchise,
Neal Lester (2010), English professor at Arizona State University commented, “Defining Tiana
as a first also means that Disney costumes her in what is already familiar to Disney audiences,”
indicating that she represents the Disney vision of someone that would fulfill that role in the
character landscape (p. 298). By placing Tiana among the lineup of princesses in the Disney
Princess franchise, girls who admire all the characters had yet another role model to aspire to be.
Tiana’s introduction as the first African-American princess was significant to the Disney

Princess franchise as it opened the company up to a newly sought market segment to engage
with. Whalen (2014) describes that “Disney marketed the film almost to distraction, and the
media was abuzz over the company’s first black princess” (p. 181). Tiana offered a wave of
cultural diversity and awareness of the many children who engage with Disney content regularly
(Lester, 2010, p. 297). Lester (2010) points out that Tiana’s significance as the first African-
American princess came at a critical time in American history as the film was released shortly
after the inauguration of President Barack Obama (p. 298). African-Americans children, mainly
girls, had a character they could relate to, and one who presented a contemporary story that
differed from that of prior Disney princesses (Lester, 2010, p. 297). Tiana sets herself apart from
other princesses within the franchise as well because, aside from Mulan, she is not born into
royalty, as mentioned earlier. Tiana instills a unique characteristic that is intended to rub off on
children who watch her adventure in action throughout the film. With The Princess and the Frog
(2009), the Disney Princess franchise exhibited a new way to accommodate the growing
awareness of multiculturalism both domestically and abroad. Girls who may not have initially
identified with the princesses that existed before were now able to connect with a character with
a different physical and emotional appeal (Lester, 2010, p. 296).
Another such significant occasion in which the Disney Princess franchise was greatly
impacted was the introduction of Merida in the film Brave (2012). One major difference that
separated Merida from her princess counterparts is that her story was not the creation of Disney
Animation Studios creative teams, but rather that of Pixar creative teams (Whalen, 2014, p. 184).
The film’s producer, Katherine Sarafian, indicated that Merida’s characterization indeed would
break the mold of her predecessors. Sarafian states, “There’s a grand tradition of Disney
princesses. [Merida] is a Pixar hero. It is completely different from a Disney princess” (as cited

in Whalen, 2014, p. 184). Merida, although born and raised in royalty like the majority of the
Disney princesses, presented children with an alternative definition of what it means to fantasize
about this type of reality. Children, in viewing Brave, learn that there is more to the privileged
life than it appears. Although children fantasize about living in a fantasy and escape reality,
Merida’s story demonstrates that privilege is not always better (Whalen, 2014, p. 185).
Nonetheless, she is added to the Disney Princess franchise and has brought about a new wave of
the collective identity of the brand, providing children with another iconic character to admire.
Materializing Disney Princess
One of the main components to the Disney Princess franchise brand longevity is physical
merchandising. Although not viewed as a traditional medium for relaying content, the use of
merchandising and consumer products in telling the stories of the characters in the Disney
Princess franchise has proven to be beneficial to the brand as a whole. California State
University, Fullerton professor Andi Stein (2011) commented, “When packaged together by
Disney Consumer Products’ Andy Mooney in the early 2000s, the Disney Princesses quickly
became a marketing wonder that has become a $4 billion a year business for the company” (p.
234). Stein explains that Mooney led the charge that allowed the franchise to soar and become a
staple in children’s media well beyond the original film from which they were presented. With
merchandise, Disney is able to provide several products that, when combined, are able to
reconstruct the original stories. For example, a child who is loyal to the Disney Princess
franchise is able to interact with the characters by playing with toys, dressing up as the
princesses, and reading books designed to present the same stories that have existed for decades.
Disney also uses its theme parks as a means of retelling the princesses’ stories. A
keystone mechanism that the theme parks use to engage children in the fantasies of the Disney

Princess franchise, as well as promote the characters as individual brands, is to encourage girls to
dress-up as their favorite princess. Stein (2011) describes, “Young princess wannabes can also
experience the process of seeing themselves transformed into royalty at the Bibbidi Bobbidi
Boutique in Walt Disney World’s Downtown Disney” (p. 235). A strong brand presence reaches
a climax with this merchandising opportunity, as girls are able to physically transform into the
princesses and actually escape the realities in which they live to experience the characters’
worlds. Children are able to connect with the characters on a different level than they had
initially anticipated as a result of being able to physically, but only temporarily, transform.
The Disney princesses’ stories are not only told via a girl’s opportunity to transform into
each character, but each story is further told by various icons found throughout all the parks
around the world. In each park, the iconic central castle is designed to be the home of one of the
Disney princesses (“Walt disney world”). Disneyland in California, Paris, and Hong Kong, the
castle is referred to being that of Aurora, or Sleeping Beauty (“Disneyland”). In the Magic
Kingdom in Florida and Tokyo, the castle belongs to Cinderella (“Walt Disney World”). By
connecting the princesses to the castle, it adds to the illusion that the Disney princesses live
royally, and expands their stories from the screen to a physical space. One medium that is
heavily used in the theme parks that aid in Disney’s continued promotion of the princesses is
real-life representation of the characters through various meet-and-greet opportunities
(“Disneyland” and “Walt disney world”). In an effort to provide children with as many
opportunities as possible to interact with the princesses, the theme parks have designated
physical spaces where guests can meet them. Specifically at the Magic Kingdom, Disney has
constructed Princess Fairytale Hall, which houses several princesses at any given time of day
(“Walt disney world”). The space allows children to escape the outside world and enter the

princesses’ worlds and have real face time with each of the iconic characters. The physical space
becomes a commodity for children visiting the park on any given day, and it becomes clear that
the Disney Princess franchise is widely popular among the younger audience.
Conclusion
Disney has remained at the helm of children’s entertainment for decades as a result of
building memorable character brands that entertain audiences of all ages. Many character brands
are able to live on because Disney continues to reimagine how best to utilize its properties to
reflect children’s interests. The media available to tell the stories are fully utilized and, in some
cases with some Disney characters, provide the foundation for characters to be developed into
individual or collective brands that aim to engage audience members by different means. Brand
longevity is achieved within Disney due to the company’s ability to remain relevant and speak to
what children hope to see both in the present and in the future (Stein, 2011, 259). In summarizing
all that Disney has done to remain a primary source for children’s media, Stein (2011) states:
An examination of the many facets of Disney clearly shows the strategic steps the
company has taken over the years to build this brand […] Disney’s continuous stream of
family-friendly products and services, coupled with innovative management and
marketing practices, have firmly established the Disney brand in the consciousness of
consumers all over the globe. (p. 259).
The many Disney character brands that have been developed over many decades is what drives
the company’s success today, and is what continues to entertain children around the world.

References
Brode, D. (2005). Multiculturalism and the mouse: race and sex in disney entertainment. Austin,
TX: University of Texas Press.
“Company overview.” (2014). Retrieved from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-
disney/company-overview
“Disney history.” (2014). Retrieved from http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/disney-
history
Disneyland resort. (2014). Retrieved from https://disneyland.disney.go.com/
England, D., Descartes, L., & Collier-Meek, M. (2011). Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney
Princesses. Sex Roles, 64(7/8), 555-567. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-9930-7
Fritz, B. (2013, August 16). Disney tries anew to raise its score on digital games. Wall Street
Journal – Eastern Edition. Pp. B1-B5.
Gossedge, R. & Sturtevant, P. (2012). The disney middle ages: a fairy-tale and fantasy past. T.
Pugh & S. Aronstein (Eds.). New York, NY: Palgrave MacMillan.
Lester, N. A. (2010). Disney's The Princess and the Frog: The Pride, the Pressure, and the
Politics of Being a First.Journal Of American Culture, 33(4), 294-308.
doi:10.1111/j.1542-734X.2010.00753.x
Pallant, C. (2011). Demystifying disney: A history of disney feature animation. New York, NY:
The Continuum International Publishing Group.
Pedicini, S. (2014, September 20). 'Frozen' latest sign of move toward more entertainment at
Epcot. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved from
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/thedaily-disney/os-epcot-frozen-
20140920-story.html

Sperb, J. (2012). Disney's most notorious film: Race, convergence, and the hidden histories of
song of the south. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.
Stein, A. (2011). Why we love disney: The power of the disney brand. New York, NY: Peter
Lang.
The walt disney company. (2012). Fiscal year 2012 annual financial report and shareholder
letter. Retrieved from
http://cdn.media.ir.thewaltdisneycompany.com/2012/annual/10kwrap-2012.pdf
Walt disney world. (2014). Retrieved from https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/
Whalen, B. (2014). Power to the princess: disney and the creation of the twentieth-century
princess narrative. In A. Howe, & W. Yarborough (Eds.), Kidding around: The child in
film and media (pp. 167-192). New York, NY: Bloomsbury Academic.

Running head: TRAINING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN THE
WORKPLACE
Training Organizational Communication in the Workplace
Joshua Reznik
Temple University

TRAINING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE 2
Training Organizational Communication in the Workplace
Organizations act as a singular unit that aims to provide a specific set of goods or services
to targeted consumers. What is offered to the consumer is dependent upon the inner workings
and overall cohesion existing within the organization and its members. In general, an
organization functions when an environment suited for optimal idea flow and effective
communication is present for all. Across various industries, similar principles regarding
organizational communication rooted in developed theory are implemented by members higher
in the hierarchy for all members in the organization. One of the essential methods to disburse the
information surrounding such practices is through offering useful training opportunities designed
to introduce and, in some cases, refresh the ideals that aid in providing the optimal work
environment. Based off of various human resource approaches to organizational communication,
training is an important method that allows all members to become aware of the organization’s
ideals on several issues as a whole. In doing so, this can aim to eliminate potential confusion as
all members would share the same company-wide values. Katherine Miller (2012), author of
Organization Communication: Approaches and Processes, points out this idea of training and
development programs as part of the human resources approach, as theorists aim to offer
explanation into the organization’s strategy to provide the knowledge base to interact in any
situation in the workplace (2012, p. 54). Training programs taking place in organizations provide
a sense of unity in the workplace, aim to negate potential conflict, and allow members to interact
with their counterparts while also developing the company’s core values.
The need to train employees regularly provides the initial introduction of the
organization’s values. New members are taught how the organization treats issues regarding
communication, conflict management, and social interactions. This is highlighted by what Miller

(2012) describes as knowledge management. Miller states, “Scholars interested in knowledge
management see the organization as embodying a cycle of knowledge creation, development,
and application” (2012, p. 54). The notion of creating an environment aimed to teach, engage,
and retain organizational values is essential to training programs offering employees the
opportunity to learn the organization’s core values. In practice, these type of human resource
programs offer to keep employees in touch with their work environment. Organizational
members are given the tools to take ownership of how communication is treated throughout the
hierarchy. Likewise, the introduction of this extensive training can ultimately lend itself useful to
organizations aiming to expand internationally. Neal Goodman (2014) of TD: Talent
Development, comments on the importance of focusing on training programs and knowledge
management in a global organization. Goodman writes, “Many multinational companies are now
beginning to realize that if they are involved in multiple training and development programs to
support their globalization efforts, they need to develop a centralized system to capture their
collective global intelligence” (2014, p. 29). Knowledge management is an important part in
understanding the necessity to develop and maintain effective training and development
programs that strive to broaden employees’ ideas on communication and socialization in the
workplace. The training environment has evolved to focus on company-wide issues, both
internally and globally.
Stanford University business theorist Jeffrey Pfeffer presents training as a prime
opportunity for employees to grow and contribute to their own work environment. In
participating in these programs, employees will be able to identify workplace conflict and
become participatory members in offering solutions (as cited in Miller, 2012, p. 55). Pfeffer
labels this practice to be a key to success for organizations, as it offers the members to learn

about whom they are working for. This supports the creation of beneficial knowledge
management, and prompts further building upon the foundation of corporate ideals. Goodman
(2014) writes, “Establish curriculum ‘paths’ to core competencies,” noting that training by
providing various realistic scenarios will allow members to focus on several areas that the
organization as a whole may come across in its daily operations (2014, p. 31). Constant
development of training programs allows organizations to educate its members with the expected
and encouraged practices to conduct business and personal interactions. In doing so,
organizations are able to increase the ability for information sharing and teamwork among its
members (Miller, 2012, p. 54).
Organizations often provide the foundation of conduct for employees to consider when
establishing social relationships in the workplace. Newly developed training methods that
emphasize these relationships and how best to communicate effectively in them are becoming
increasing important for organizations. In these new training styles, organizations utilize new
communication technologies in an effort to encourage teamwork among members. TechTrend
authors Dennis Charsky et al. (2009) have indicated that training via new technology has
facilitated these efforts to promote a work environment keen on communication among teams of
organizational members. The article points out, “virtual teams falter when employees are not
properly trained in the use of technology for teamwork,” suggesting that a willing neglect of non-
trained employees are unable to influence how the basic principles of organizational
communication are considered in their work environment (Charsky et al., 2009, p. 42). Using a
course in organizational communication at Ithaca College as the basis of research, Charsky et al.
(2009) aim to provide the reasoning behind the need for millennial-generation employees to
learn how to communicate with their counterparts and their superiors effectively in the

workplace. Using a fictional scenario, the course simulation provides students the opportunity to
assume company roles and assess and implement training procedures (Charsky et al., 2009, pp.
42-43). What this simulation aims to represent via student success is how training would
influence the group’s ability to communicate objectives with one another both at the same level
of the organizational hierarchy, as well as those above. After initial results were received, the
article provides recommendations that are relevant to the notion that training programs in
organizations are critical for employees to learn the proper protocol and methodology for
communicating with one another (Charsky et al., 2009, p. 48). Training organizational
communication and developing techniques to teach these new methods to employees in all
industries is becoming increasingly necessary to maintain the foundation of knowledge
management established by the values and vision of the organization as a whole.
The methods by which communication and conduct are taught to employees within an
organization vary, and companies have developed innovative programs that aim to teach others
how to enhance the work environment. An innovative company well known for training
members in its own organization and members of other organizations is the Walt Disney
Company. With several divisions each aiming to capture the market share of various industries,
Disney operates to provide memorable moments and entertaining experiences for its consumers.
At the heart of this massive organization are employees working in all divisions aiming to
provide these experiences. As pointed out by Carmine Gallo (2011) of Forbes, Disney takes an
assertive stance on ensuring that its organizational members take pride in the brand, and are able
to offer consumers the experiences they are paying for, whether it be in its theme parks, films, or
television. Gallo states, “Every team members at Disney Parks is trained to be an effective
communicator […] Most employees at other businesses are not trained to communicate” (2011).

It is a company-wide initiative to ensure that Disney employees are able to communicate
effectively with consumers, as well as their counterparts. Gallo (2011) explains that Disney
employees are able to provide these one-of-a-kind experiences by way of the extensive training
offered. In consultation with leaders at Disney Institute, a training facility for both Disney and
non-Disney organizations, Gallo summarized that three components are incorporated into
successful communication among employees: “Be ‘show ready,’” or in character to assume your
role within the organization; “make sure every customer feels important”; and “provide
communication training” (2011). This combination of steps has propelled Disney as a major
influencer in the entertainment business. Additionally, the Disney Institute has become a
destination for other organizations to learn how to incorporate various skills into their own
workplace environments.
Disney Institute, the premier training and development program for the company since
1996, seeks to offer solutions and other pragmatic methods to learn and encourage collaborative
work and effective communication in the workplace. The Disney Institute’s background states
the following:
Because of the breadth of our business experiences and the fact that we live the
philosophies we teach, we are uniquely equipped to develop custom solutions for the
challenges you are facing—whether you seek to deliver consistently exceptional
customer experiences, wonder how to hire and engage great employees, want to shift
your corporate culture, or want to learn our approach to great leadership. (Disney
Institute b).
Disney Institute provides a unique foundation for individuals to learn and contribute to their own
workplace environments. One way in which Disney Institute provides a comprehensive training
method to organizational members is via real-life examples from within the company. Disney
Institute states, “Our methodology, based on real-work examples from within The Walt Disney
Company, provides the opportunity to learn by seeing success in action” (Disney Institute b).

The goal is for employees to learn how Disney faces various challenges, and the best solutions to
manage them effectively while remaining loyal to the organization’s vision and values. This
level of attention to training and employee professional development is essential for any
organization because it offers methods to address numerous concerns that may arise in a work
environment. It teaches organizational members and leaders ways issues can be addressed and
how Disney has historically addressed them.
One of the goals for the Disney Institute is to provide collaborative learning and training
to other organizations outside of The Walt Disney Company itself. In a case study done by
Disney Institute in 2011, the National Football League collaborated with Disney to learn how to
implement new fan engagement programs and communicate its purpose ahead of Super Bowl
XLVI in 2012. Tom Thomson, a Disney Institute facilitator, helped develop a program to present
to the National Football League that would heighten awareness of some new additions to the fan
experience. Thomson stated, “In a nutshell, the NFL asked us to help them adapt some of our
best practices and develop ways to deliver them to everyone working on the Super Bowl”
(Disney Institute a). Disney Institute, in working with teams of organizers for the Super Bowl,
provided the groundwork for the organization to implement new business practices into the inner
workings of the event. At the helm of the National Football League’s teams to be trained from
Disney Institute was Frank Supovitz, an executive of the NFL responsible for the organization of
the Super Bowl. In observing the need to reach out to Disney to teach some of their practices to
his organization, Supovitz commented that he wanted the fan experience at the Super Bowl to be
as exciting as the game and halftime show themselves (Disney Institute a). Disney Institute
collaborated with the NFL in hopes to demonstrate how Disney’s exceptional training and
development can transcend beyond its own brand of entertainment.

As a result of working with Disney Institute, the National Football League walked away
with tools that would enable its organizational members to better perform their tasks, and
communicate better, in preparing for Super Bowl XLVI. In collaboration with members from the
NFL organization, Thomson, and Disney Institute custom development manager Terrie Parker,
Disney Institute facilitators were able to train business managers from Indianapolis (host city for
Super Bowl XLVI) this new fan engagement and communication plan. The case study stated,”
Included in the presentation was a comprehensive communications plan, the Leader
Communications Tool Kit, designed to help the managers deliver the program to their own
employees” (Disney Institute a). Parker identified the Leader Communications Tool Kit to be a
“collateral tool” that can be utilized by the National Football League and the city of Indianapolis
to train employees working at venues involved in any part of the fan experience. Disney Institute
has taken a human resources approach to organization communications in this regard due to their
development of programs offering opportunities to learn within the organization. Miller (2012)
classifies this to be an example of learning organizations. The idea behind learning organizations
is that members of the organization are trained and taught via emphasis on various workplace
traits like shared visions and personal mastery of the values providing the foundation for the
organization (Miller, 2012, p. 54). Training at all levels for all organizations provides a necessary
framework to promote a work environment equipped for effective communication of ideas
among members of any level of the organizational hierarchy.
Training is an essential components in presenting the organization’s vision and
expectations to all employees. Miller (2012) points out that organizational communication
through the human resources approach takes on a different emphasis regarding involvement of
organizational members. She states, “Human resources theorists recognize that individuals in

organizations have feelings that must be considered and also recognize that individual labor is an
important ingredient for meeting organizational goals” (Miller, 2012, p. 45). The human
resources approach relates to training and development programs to boost communication efforts
in organizations because the very people from within directly influence effective communication.
Training programs aim to provide the resources to organizational members in order to increase
their ability to facilitate effective organizational communication and recognize appropriate
situations where employee contributions are needed. Organizations across many industries seek
to provide its members with opportunities for learning and development through extensive
training that emphasizes effective communication and information sharing. With an
understanding of a vision and values, as well as expectations and methods to create a suitable
work environment open for effective communication, organizations are able to provide exactly
what is necessary to consumers. Many of these ideas are offered as a result of training and
development programs that empower organizational members with the resources needed to
perform their jobs each and every day. Development of training programs is necessary for
organizations to thrive, and to enable employees to succeed.

TRAINING ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION IN THE WORKPLACE
10
References
Charsky, D., Kish, M. L., Briskin, J., Hathaway, S., Walsh, K., & Barajas, N. (2009). Millennials
need training too: Using communication technology to facilitate teamwork. Techtrends:
Linking Research & Practice to Improve Learning, 53(6), 42-48. doi:10.1007/s11528-
009-0342-2
Disney Institute. (n.d.). Case study: National football league. Retrieved from
http://www.disneyinstitutecollateral.com/files/PastClients/CaseStudy_NFL.pdf
Disney Institute. (n.d.). Our story. Retrieved from https://disneyinstitute.com/about/our-story/
Gallo, C. (2011, April 11). Customer service the disney way. Forbes. Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2011/04/14/customer-service-the-disney-way/
Goodman, N. (2014). Knowledge management in a global enterprise. TD: Talent Development,
68(12), 28-31.
Miller, K. (2012). Organizational communication: Approaches and processes. Stamford:
Cengage Learning

Josha_Reznik_ResearchPortfolio

Recomendados

Recomendados

Mais conteúdo relacionado

Mais procurados

Mais procurados (20)

Destaque

Destaque (19)

Semelhante a Josha_Reznik_ResearchPortfolio

Semelhante a Josha_Reznik_ResearchPortfolio (17)

Josha_Reznik_ResearchPortfolio