Originally Posted By Malin *** Duffy ... in his Easter best now on sale at the Disney outlets in SoFla for $17.99 ... *** I love Duffy but Diseny really dropped the ball in regards to how he was promoted. The selection of merchandise was also to big for this year. And it makes me sad to see him now at discount rates. Disney should of started out with just the standard 17 inch and a couple of costumes.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 "I love Duffy but Diseny really dropped the ball in regards to how he was promoted" I think the problem is that Duffy had no "life" (no films, etc AFAIK) before being pushed as merch. He was merch created to BE merch. As such, he seems kind of soulless to many (me included). That sort of thing seems to work in Japan, but here not so much.
Originally Posted By Malin One of the reasons for the suscess in Japan was the approuch the OLC took with the Character. The Resort did not push it from the start in the same way Disney have tried in the States. While it will never catch on in the way Disney expected. I still think it would of been a hit and there not been so aggresive in marketing him. Build A Bear Stores seem to be very popular after all, so a market does exist. In Tokyo the Resort does not sell the 12 inch Bears. These offer no real vaule to the Duffy collector. Since the costume is attached to the Bear and can not be removed. The standard 17 inch Duffy came out with some rather poorly designed costumes. The standard in Tokyo is much superior. Although the recent Toy Story costumes are a improvement. The costume releases in Tokyo are well publised on the website. And are only offered for a limited time. Its the simple things that have really hurt his debut in the States and why after almost a year people are still finding him soulless. I guess my love for him comes from the fact I caught the bug from my trips to Tokyo. Where not only is he being promoted in the right way but I have experienced first hand how loved he is by everyone. Whats being done in the States and soon to be Paris has really hurt the product and how people view him. And apologies for stepping off topic
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Not to take it further off topic, but I do wonder if the marketing approach will be different when they introduce Shelly Mae (if that ever even happens) in the US. I think that most people (including the folks who were behind bringing Duffy to the US) see his sales as a disappointment, so I suspect that there would be a different approach, though I'm not sure how they would be able to do it.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 He's still merch created as merch. While there's nothing wrong with that per se ( you could say that about plenty of toy characters created every year) the whole bogus "back story" about him being "MM's bear" when there was no film or anything to back this up just made the whole thing seem even more crass if anything (to me anyway). If you like him, you like him. To me, the marketing "wires" just showed a little too plainly on this one.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Some of the other entertainment offerings at early DCA... were the three gals who performed in Hollywood Pictures Backlot... there was a comedy troupe... called 'DUH' or something... Three Bags Full -- those weird walk around characters... Loved them.<< >>Weren't there some living vine people and a big rock too?<< There were three distinct phases of live entertainment in DCA's early years, which have sort of run together over the years. When the park opened, there were no Disney characters (Mickey and friends were only allowed to "vacation" at DCA), and the entertainment was all "cutting edge," "hip," and "trendy." The entertainment team was proud of the fact that there would be none of that old, tired Disneyland entertainment in California Adventure. Among the offerings were Three Bags Full, La Feet, Wizard Acrobats, D'Vine, a chalk artist, and a juggler. The Backlot Stage had a dance/tumbling/comedy/mime troupe that performed a wordless number called "Lights, Camera, Chaos." The Hyperion Theater had "Steps in Time," a show that had already been put through hasty changes after negative reactions during previews. When the first attendance figures came in, panic set in. "Lights, Camera, Chaos" was cancelled (although the show is still memorialized in the official DCA soundtrack, which came out after the show was already gone). Disney characters were hastily added to some of the other groups. Max Joined LaFeet and Chip 'n Dale began cutting up in the Ahwanee Camp Circle. The chalk artist and juggler were let go (they'd been routinely performing for each other, anyway). Meanwhile, a program of all new shows featuring the Disney characters was quickly assembled. As the last of the original entertainment was phased out, we got small scale, character based shows like "Minnie Earhardt," "Mickey's Farm," and "Donald's Vision." ("Mickey's Farm" was deemed so lame that it was eventually replaced by "The Ugly Bug Ball" with Flik and Atta, which ended up outlasting everything else.) Meanwhile, over at the Backlot Stage, "Goofy's Beach Party Bash" featured the whole Disney gang. The "final" phase of the cycle was the introduction of new, live entertainment that was themed to each area. "Chance to Shine" debuted back by Hollywood and Dine, and was then moved to Hollywood Boulevard (because there were no crowds in the back corner of the park). Country music was added to the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area. DUH (The Department of Untapped Hilarity) was a new addition to the Backlot Stage, which saw a number of live shows move across its stage. The latest is the Disney Dance Crew. And, of course, the Golden State Amphitheater was pressed into use. Today that area is Paradise Park, and has a daytime show featuring songs from the Disney Channel. >>Side note: I find it interesting that the original DCA entertainment that was constantly labled as 'pretentious' and 'overly high-brow' before getting cut from the park, is perfectly acceptable to the 'rubes' that inhabit WDW. Just goes to show how tolerant the pretentious folks in California really are...<< The only entertainment that made its way over to WDW was D'Vine. The "pretentious" and "overly high-brow" stuff really was just that. I liked it, but then, I'm kinda pretentious and overly high-brow myself. I cannot imagine how the folks at the Magic Kingdom would have reacted to Three Bags Full, LFeet, or Lights, Camera, Chaos.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "When the park opened, there were no Disney characters (Mickey and friends were only allowed to "vacation" at DCA), and the entertainment was all "cutting edge," "hip," and "trendy." The entertainment team was proud of the fact that there would be none of that old, tired Disneyland entertainment in California Adventure." I'm confused. I went to DCA about a month after it opened and Mickey and the gang were there. Isn't it ironic that the Internet fans are constantly complaining (me included) that Disney isn't innovating or doing new things, yet whenever it does something completely fresh the fans complain that the new stuff isn't "Disney". Fast foward and now we're being bombarded with Tron Legacy and Pixar.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I know that a lot of people enjoy the rubberhead shows, with recorded voices and the person in the costume bobbing their head to suggest speaking. To them, this is pure "Disney." I'd prefer to watch DaVine or Three Bags Full 100 times before watching something like "Mickey's Detective School." Even as a kind, those kinds of shows were eye-rollers to me. I must be a real snob!
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>I'm confused. I went to DCA about a month after it opened and Mickey and the gang were there.<< Mickey and the gang "vacationed" in DCA for the first summer. They were allowed only meet 'n greets. It was only after the hip 'n edgy stuff failed to connect that the old warhorses were drafted. Hard to know whether the program of highly original stuff would have been popular if DCA had had more to offer. I really liked what was there, but was not at all surprised to see changes being made. It was unnerving, though, to see how quick 'n dirty some of them were. (Is this post a record for the use of "'n" in place of "and?")
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "It was unnerving, though, to see how quick 'n dirty some of them were." The whole execution, delivery and subsequent "quick changes" at DCA were a complete mess. First, the marketing before it was launched was ridiculously poor. Then Disney failed control the message and woefully underestimated the bad word of mouth that quickly spread on the Internet (hence the creation of the Disney Parks Blog). Finally, seemingly in a panic, management started reprogramming stuff within months after opening, which confused visitors at a time when the place was trying to find its footing in the marketplace.
Originally Posted By Malin *** If you like him, you like him. To me, the marketing "wires" just showed a little too plainly on this one. *** I would agree and thats part of the reason I feel Disney messed up. If after almost a year of Duffy in the parks people still don't get him or see it just as a marketing ploy to sell merchandise. Disney have failed to create any interest or love for the product.
Originally Posted By gadzuux Actually, that's a problem. If people can see through the Duffy character for the naked marketing and branding of plush scheme that it is, he becomes a "net-minus" - he's actually doing more harm than good just by being around. I get a feeling of resentment from such a ham-handed attempt to manipulate me as a fan and consumer of Disney products. Obviously I'm not the only one either. As a result, I think the mere presence of Duffy is detrimental to the overall Disney brand, at least here in the US.
