Sorcerers' apprentices concoct new adventures

Disney interns peek behind the magic and help brainstorm

Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2008 — Every childhood visit to Disneyland provoked the same argument between Patricia L. Caplette and her brother over which ride to hit first. He wanted to head straight for the Haunted Mansion; she insisted on Pirates of the Caribbean. So they bargained: If she could start the day with her favorite scurvy crew, he could end it getting spooked.

Where Do the Best Ideas Come From? The Unlikeliest Sources†

Peers, Suppliers Can Spark Some Great Innovations for Marketers

Advertising Age, July 17, 2008 — There's a "secret sauce," as a friend would put it, to creating a recipe that works for serving up innovation success. But if businesses have trouble getting it quite right, it's because they're short on a critical ingredient: inspiration.

Dispelling the Myths about Open Innovation

Prophet, June 24, 2008 — When it comes to seizing the power of innovation to drive business growth, one of the best routes to success — based on practices of leaders on this front — is through Open Innovation. But while the concept is increasingly familiar and many organizations are eager to position themselves to harness its potential, considerable confusion exists around what Open Innovation is and what it isn’t.

Fans Resist End of Virtual Disneyland†

Created to Celebrate 50th Anniversary, Free Game to Shut

Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2008 — For Walt Disney Co., the task of opening a virtual version of Disneyland on the Web was relatively easy. Closing it, though, is proving to be quite a bit more difficult, thanks to the wrath of obsessive fans of Disney's theme parks.

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Disneyland in 2005, Walt Disney launched a free online game called Virtual Magic Kingdom whose look and layout mimics Disneyland's. Users created avatars and explored the online park's various regions, such as Tomorrowland and Main Street; chatted with other users; and participated in online promotions that crossed over into real-life activities at the company's resorts in California and Florida.

Disney's notoriously obsessive fans got deeply into this.

The Iger difference

Bob Iger has led a renaissance at Disney. But can he withstand a bad economy and the tech revolution in the media business?

FORTUNE, April 11, 2008 — At a time of upheaval in the media business, Walt Disney has had a string of hits the likes of which it hasn't had since, well, the early tenure of former CEO Michael Eisner in the 1980s. Three years after succeeding Eisner - and confounding skeptics in the process - CEO Bob Iger talked to Fortune's Richard Siklos about buying Pixar, pulling Disney (DIS, Fortune 500) out of a creative slump with new megafranchises like "Hannah Montana" and "High School Musical," working with Steve Jobs, and wrestling with the image of a certain mouse. Edited excerpts:

Disney Reaches to the Crib to Extend Princess Magic†

Wall Street Journal, November 19, 2007 — At the recently opened Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Cinderella's castle in Walt Disney World, hordes of young girls in ball gowns jostle every day to get their hair coiffed, their nails painted and their faces plastered with make-up to imitate their favorite princess. It's an image that's become classic of the Walt Disney Co. Princess revolution. What started out in 2001 as a few princess outfits became an overnight sensation as Disney enchanted 3- to 6-year-old girls throughout America with everything from princess comforters and princess backpacks to princess-emblazoned sneakers. Smartly-packaged releases of classic princess movies have helped bring girls back for more each year.

Disney Hit Proves YouTube Isn't Only Way to Target Teens†

Net Turns to Libraries, Little League to Push 'HSM2'

Advertising Age, August 6, 2007 — Facebook? Forget it.

MySpace? YouTube? Um, like, nuh-uh! Or as Sharpay Evans would say, "Toodles!"

Kids may spend most every waking hour online, but when it came to marketing the sequel to "High School Musical," Disney Channel had little choice but to go decidedly old-school.

Disney Acquires Web Site for Children

Aiming to solidify its position in online entertainment, the company acquired Club Penguin in a deal that could total $700 million.

New York Times, August 2, 2007 — Racing to solidify its dominant position in children’s entertainment on the Internet, the Walt Disney Company said Wednesday that it had acquired a subscription Web site aimed at preteenagers, Club Penguin, in a deal that could total $700 million.

Disney Rewrites Script to Win Fans in India†

China, Latin America Are Also in Turnaround; A "Princess" in Mumbai

Wall Street Journal, June 11, 2007 — Disney has struggled to make big money in India with its classic American fare. Now it has persuaded Yash Raj to make Disney-branded animated films, with the voices of Bollywood stars.

Fairy-Tale Wedding? Disney Can Supply the Gown†

Princess-Inspired Designs Aim to Attract Older Crowd; Subtle Mermaid Styling

Wall Street Journal, February 22, 2007 — Walt Disney Co. has made a fortune out of turning little girls into princesses. Now it plans to turn big girls into princesses, too. In a move to expand the reach of one of its most popular franchises, Cinderella and her regal friends are moving into the bridal business with a line of wedding dresses and accessories.