WDW Social 'Media' and Conspiracy

Originally Posted By vbdad55

Welcome to the Republican vision for America.

--- Trippy , I was with you up until this- Really- have you been brainwashed in W/E also ?

The only people who will be able to afford to go here exxept the uber elite will be government workers/ teachers and union workers who all will have pensions so grandma and grandpa can take the family since the taxpayers are covering pensions that are actuarilly unsound and bankrupting the states and feds. When private sector pensions were removed 10-12 years ago who cried for us Argentina ? No one. What party do the overwhelming majority of these people vote for ? Hint- it's not the one you mention.

Both parties are bankrupting this country in different ways - both have their own 'elite' groups...

but you choose one to single out -- really, you know better than that.

show me someone in power in Washington- either party who is for the middle class --

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

People are now more afraid of Big Business than Big Brother.

---- not one in the same ?

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

vbdad...

I do agree that neither party is a great friend of the middle class. Had it not been for the recent takeover of the Republican Party by the Tea Party, I might have even agreed with you that a small middle class would remain composed primarily of government workers. But that was before people like Governor Scott Walker took office. It is very clear that the Tea Party wants to treat government workers just as badly as Big Business treats its non-executive employees.

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Guys-- seriously-- can this be left to WE? There's a reason I left that behind, and I really don't enjoy it over here.

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

Yeah seriosuly - nothing is more boring to non-Americans than American politics!

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I understand, but let's put it in perspective. I made a long post, which only contained ONE SENTENCE that was in any way political.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

duly noted

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

No comment. I am trying real hard not to derail a thread with a response to a political statement. The keyword here is response. Never an instigation.

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

My question now becomes does TWDC care about the social media situation or not?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

I have a lot to say (shocking, I know) but not much time and I keep coming back to one key point: what's really in it for Disney?

We have an incredibly intelligent and diverse community here on LP.com, with people from all corners of the globe. Maybe I'm not as smart as I (and many other spirits) think. But we are going on 50 pages now (and taking away brief tangents/detours), there's been a lot of interesting talk.

Yet, no one has been able to simply 'splain to me how Disney engaging in very unethical, at best, behavior with bloggers/podcasters/webmasters somehow adds new customers and adds value to the Brand.

Two simple questions:

How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks help them expand their customer base?

How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks add value to the DISNEY BRAND?

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

I have a feeling we will never know.

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks help them expand their customer base?

How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks add value to the DISNEY BRAND? <<

So your contention is that no knew potential guest read any of these blogs?

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> Yeah seriosuly - nothing is more boring to non-Americans than American politics! <<

Except possibly Australian rules football.

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

>>>How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks help them expand their customer base?

How does Disney getting in bed with certain online folks add value to the DISNEY BRAND?<<<

Like all propaganda, it is to bury the negativity and promote the key message. If you do a google search on Disney, compared to a few years ago, will it bring up negative or positive messages. It brings up the positive (unless it is the week of an accident or law suit).

That I think is what is in it for them, along with cheap market research. Walt never asked people if they wanted a boat ride with pirates that goes up a waterfall. But then in the 80's and 90's, Disney had focus groups and survey takers. Now they have survey takers and social media as a source of research - hence more characters, more buffet meals, more cruise style options, the "free" buses. All designed to counteract what people are talking about.

That is my 2 bits.

BTW - I know I owe you an e-mail. Things have been kind of heavy here, but I will get to you my friend.

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> Yet, no one has been able to simply 'splain to me how Disney engaging in very unethical, at best, behavior with bloggers/podcasters/webmasters somehow adds new customers and adds value to the Brand. <<

You would have really gone nuts over the payola going around in the good old days at radio stations. Still does as I'm sure you are aware of.

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> So your contention is that no knew potential guest read any of these blogs? <<

And don't get on me about my spelling. I'm still better than TDLFAN.

 

Originally Posted By skinnerbox

<<Yet, no one has been able to simply 'splain to me how Disney engaging in very unethical, at best, behavior with bloggers/podcasters/webmasters somehow adds new customers and adds value to the Brand.>>

In the long run, since those bloggers/podcasters/webmasters are preaching to the choir, it doesn't.

Disney is doing the social media dance because all of the other companies are doing it. Disney, like the other companies, is so afraid that they're going to miss out on hooking up with new potential customers, that they've thrown themselves head first into the whole social media experiment. And like most other companies, they don't have clear and concise guidelines for how to manage this stuff.

It remains to be seen whether or not this grand experiment with corporations utilizing social media will actually pay off on the bottom line, down the road. But every major player in Corporate America is giving it a shot, whether or not they know what they're doing. And unfortunately, because they're new at this gig, unethical behavior has a greater chance to sneak in, when middle managers are mostly concerned with collecting as many FB pages and tweets as they can, much like young boys collecting die cast cars or sports trading cards (if they still do that). At the end of the corporate workday, the middle manager with the most FB pages and tweets will win, and save his/her job.

So, out comes the swag and comps and media invites to the social fan bloggers, since Disney has no clue yet if those individuals will actually add to the tally of new customers with plenty of cash to burn, or simply the tally of social media sites who mostly serve the existing Disney fanbase.

When Disney's bottom line eventually fails to explode with new customer growth in the future, that's when you'll see this social media frenzy tone down. But until Disney has solid evidence on their balance sheets, this whoring of the Disney bloggers by the social media department will continue.

 

Originally Posted By Lee hisownself

I think they see it as being a steady pipeline for the delivery of pure, uncut pixie dust straight into the brains of their most addicted customers.

They are able to control the message, influence the spin, and keep the fanatics hooked.

People who read those blogs and listen to those podcasts know that they will be getting a heavy dose of good 'ol Disney "feel-good". No pesky negative stories, no hint that the newest offering may bit be all that great. They get the drug they need to keep themselves hooked...and booked.
It's kinda symbiotic, I guess.

 

Originally Posted By vbdad55

Spirit- ( and many others here) - the part that likely gets me is that Disney can get a lot of this feedback for free- so why give away crap ? I have read a few other boards, and participated in a few ( not all by any stretch) - but I look here and there are some very very knowledgable people. Maybe this isn't the best site- maybe it is- but it sure is close if it isn't from what I have seen. Anyone scanning this site for Disney should be smart enough to pick out posters that might have something to offer- pro and con - and from people passionate about DIsney. Not everyone here goes to the part multiple times a year or even yearly- a nice cross section- that would gladly offer advice / thoughts ( for whatever they are worth) - for very little to nothing because we have the same goals as management ( well most of us do) - that is to be the best Disney can be- acknowleding costs vs returns - etc.

Why not tap into that for a few podcasts now and then and mine data. Who wouldn't participate here is you were allowed to speak your minds ?

 

Originally Posted By skinnerbox

<<People who read those blogs and listen to those podcasts know that they will be getting a heavy dose of good 'ol Disney "feel-good". No pesky negative stories, no hint that the newest offering may bit be all that great. They get the drug they need to keep themselves hooked...and booked.
It's kinda symbiotic, I guess.>>

But those people were getting their fixes in the past from more traditional sources, like Disney Magazine and the Disney Channel and Vault Disney, et al. They are addicts, after all. They will seek it out and eventually find it.

So why dump the traditional avenues and go whole hog on social media?

It's newer and cheaper.

It's still unproven, but that doesn't seem to matter.