Disney animated movies
Published January 10, 2003
Disney releases it's "classic" animated films on DVD and video, then pulls them from the shelves, for up to 10 years apparently. This sunk in the other night as I was watching a commercial for Beauty And The Beast. From what I've garnered in my reasearch, this has been Disney's policy for years and years. I had never noticed until the line "This is your last chance to own this enchanting DVD, then it goes into the vault for 10 years!" caught my attention.
In my travels to understand this particular marketing strategy, I came across this bit in an old E! Online News article:
The Mouse House used to keep its 'toons on moratorium for up to 10 years, taking them out of circulation to build demand for the next release.Another article I found, which is a transcript from the Wall Street Journal, at digital bits, goes on to state that this is a radical departure from the previous strategy:Over the next two years, the company will put the bulk of its animated library--films like Dumbo, Sleeping Beauty, The Hunchback of Notre Dame--out simultaneously on DVD and video and keep them on store shelves for good. Twenty-six films in all will be permanently available.
But Disney will set aside 10 other films--the company's crown jewels--as the so-called "Platinum Collection," which will rotate in and out of stores. Only one Platinum title will be released a year, beginning with Snow White in the fall of 2001. Other Platinum titles include Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Bambi, The Jungle Book, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, Lady and the Tramp and 101 Dalmatians.
:That would be a major departure from the company's longtime strategy of rotating its animated films in stores, keeping each title off the market for a period of seven to 10 years.There are more articles out there with basically the same concepts. Most of them also state that at the time this decision was made, the video sales numbers were disappointing to Disney. It would seem to me that as you release and/or re-release a title on video/DVD, you should do a huge marketing blitz, then leave them on the shelves. I for one, don't necessarily run out and buy a title when they are strongly marketing it. Sometimes, it takes me quite a while to get around to buying it, for whatever reason. If you only have them on the shelves for a limited time, then pull them, it doesn't give the opportunity for the slowpokes to get around to buying them. There have been times when I've been in a store for something completely different and ended up walking out with an old movie on DVD, simply because it caught my eye.Disney's longtime video-release strategy was based on the idea that keeping each film out of circulation for a few years would create demand for a re-release every few years. Now, Mr. Eisner says: "My sense is that we have to keep 15, 16, 17 movies on a 10-year cycle, with the other movies maybe available more on demand."
- Disney animated movies
- Published: January 10, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Video
- Filed Under: Video: Animation, Video: Classics, Video: News
- Writer: Jim Schwab
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Comments on this articleComments
You seem to miss the point of the strategy.
If you only have them on the shelves for a limited time, then pull them, it doesn't give the opportunity for the slowpokes to get around to buying them.
The whole point of this would be exactly to motivate the slowpokes to jump on it while the getting is good.
The point about piracy, however, is well taken. That point alone might cause them to have to re-think this strategy.
its no fun to collect something that is on the shelf everyday at the store. et and back to the future also go on the shelf for a limited time. the point is to have fun collecting them and cherishing them and share with your family. not to get upset because you dont have it and make illegal copies of it.
Like everything else with Disney, the point is to control the terms, and since they have the goods, they can get away with it. This is why many take such glee from a Disney bomb: imperiousness only works if people feel they need your stuff.
You can always get them from Amazon or eBay, however, this costs more. What's a mom to do? My 3 year old won't want to watch Beauty and the Beast when she's 13.
I just came across this myself and like "e-bay mom", I have a 4-year old who won't want Beauty and the Beast when she's 14 either. 10 years is a LONG TIME especially when you're a kid. I don't get it!! These movies are for KIDS!!!!
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I agree, I did not notice the practice until I was forced into watching Lion King and fell in love with it, only to realize its nowhere to be found. I have waited a better part of 6 years for the re-release (now DVD release) of Lion King and October 7, I get my wish.
I must admit for the most part the strategy is a good one. Had I been able to buy the VHS when I was in tenth grade when it was first release I would probably not be buying the Special Platinum Edition of the release in October. And I know 3 of my friends doing the same.