WDW Social 'Media' and Conspiracy

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

Just was wondering if Jennifer Fickley-Baker of the crack(ed) WDW Social Media team has been reading this thread because she apparently has been tweeting recently asking fanbois what they'd like to see on The Disney Parks Blog and even pandering to their love of retro WDW some.

Now, on the one hand, I'd love to take shots at her for being so obvious.

But on the other, she IS taking my advice and attempting to reach out to fans and actually talk to them (even if her tweets do NOT represent the views/positions of TWDC, even if they do! ;-) ) ... so Jenn, if you're reading ... I give you one thumbs up and invite you to come talk here because just like your tweets are unofficial, you could post and chat unofficially here as well.

And I promise I'll be gentle with you because you sure look better than Gary, Charlie, Tom or Duncan ...

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

^^^ Speaking as someone who's tweeted with her in the past few days, totally agreed. Would be very nice to see you here.

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Full disclosure:
I have no idea who WaltDisneyPictures is, or whether he/she is official or not. I was just interested in seeing what the reaction to the rather stilted posts would be.

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

Over on the Cars2 thread WaltDisneyPictures did actually react to the critical comments - saying that he does not mean any harm and is just looking for feedback.

And then got this reply from mawnck:

<<Exactly. My ire is directed at WaltDisneyPictures, not the employees thanklessly lurking behind it.

WDP, I wouldn't expect a Disney Social Media, ummm, whatchamacallit to hang out all the time on just one or two boards. It's a big internet and I 'spect you're a bit understaffed to Socially Mediate all of it.

But at the same time, it tends to grate on my nerves when you (meaning these "official" screen names) come on here and ask if anyone saw Cars 2 this weekend, when there were several topics one click away, discussing our reactions in excruciating detail.

Believe me, if you want feedback on Disney products or marketing on this board, all you gotta do is read. There's no need to ask anything. This is a Disney fan board!

If you're trying to steer the conversation in certain directions, or reroute us to links with a positive spin (like the Ebert review) ... I don't know about everybody else, but that ticks me off. Just because you're "official" doesn't mean you get to spam the boards. I'm sure Doobie and Rebekah (the site's proprietors) will be happy to sell you all the advertising space you want.

I'd LOVE it if we had an actual, engaged, knowledgable company representative participating on this board, even if all they did was tow the company line. But only if they're going to really for real participate. And so far, that hasn't been you, WDP. I understand the probable reasons for it, but still.>>

Nothing to add to this...

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

This may take our journey on a bit of side trip, but I have been meaning to comment on this facet of WDW Co.'s Social Media, strategy and execution, for a while now. Actually, for quite a while.

What can I say ... something came up. Who knew Disney was gonna speed up its pursuit of dumping its MAGICal parks? Not even this Spirit ...

But Lee (hisownself) made a rather provocative post on this thread that I believe to be particularly topical and worthy of discussion. I did when he posted it, and now, in light of what is currently going on among the online fan community concerning a possible sale of P&R, this one is just screaming out for more.

As well, many posters have been hankering for a Spirited thread on mental illness within the online fan collective and blogosphere. While, all jokes aside, it may be a fascinating study, I just do not feel it is an appropriate topic to be tackled here (I mean, I'm a part of this crazy community too, right?). At least for now, but I am open to opinions ... if enough folks want to have that discussion, then I'll start it.

In Lee's post, he may well have really struck at the common thread that seems to run throughout this subset of Disney fandom and is, in particular, targeted by WDW Co.'s Social Media Dept.

And it all started with post 498 (and a Mouse):

<<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. >>


The above post troubled me. In fact, I was so troubled by the comparison I stopped myself from doing a knee-jerk kind of response (you know, my Spirited Specialty). Now, I'm more inclined to put my take on this out there and see what you guys/gals think.

Also, Lee and I discussed this further. And I discussed it with others both in the fan community and well outside of it who are, nonetheless, experts on the broader matter of the corporatization of social media.

Disney is, as Lee indicated, akin to a drug pusher pumping its audience full of pixie dust. Only, in our discussion, it became increasingly clear that Disney. was more than a simple pusher ... it was, in every way, the Pixie Dust Cartel. The PDC (can I trademark this? oh hell, it's Disney I'm just taking it!) Where the bloggers/podcasters were the equivalent of street level dealers, supplying an already captive crowd that craved whatever 'Mickey-Approved' dust put before it.

How disturbing we thought that Disney, a company aligned with wholesome family entertainment, could have devolved into a comparison to a Colombian or Mexican drug cartel? Yet, as we delved further into the topic, that analogy only crystallized even more so.

It has long been known that some of America's and the world's top companies have studied how addiction travels through populations, and not for wholesome reasons. But rather, to apply the 'hook and reel' of addiction to their own brand. No folks, this has not ever been the domain of just 'evils' like Big Tobacco or Pharma or ... well, it appears TWDC has been moving in on this territory for years now and aggressively so.

'The Disney you describe, I cannot tell if it is a drug or a disease.'

I waited for triple confirmation on that one. After it was handed to me by a particularly well-informed consultant on China (where as most of you know this Spirit has spent six months working/living over the last three years) and Western media's penetration into that market. Those words were spoken by 'a senior most' official to a group of execs including The Weatherman on a sojourn to Beijing well prior to the agreement on the Shanghai park and resort.

The execs laughed, thinking this was said in jest or an otherwise trivial manner. Not in China. (This, as others have already noted, was one more BIG barrier to Disney entering the mainland among many. Most that, contrary to the PR, still exist.)

Disney being the Pixie Dust Cartel doesn't play well anywhere. But, in particular, China is very resistant to such matters.

Yet, no matter how we tried to argue the opposing views, the equating of Disney to a drug was a constant to explain where the company is today and how it got where it ...

WDW Co.'s Social Media ...

Make that, the product that now is Disney P&R = The Pixie Dust Cartel.

Interesting ... troubling ... But true?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Speaking as someone who's tweeted with her in the past few days, totally agreed. Would be very nice to see you here. >>

I didn't realize that.

Perhaps, you should 'tweet her up' (yeah sounds more fun than it is) and ask her about Disney selling its parks.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

Interesting Bolna.

If the individual is really repping Disney, then you'd think they'd give their real name.

But I really concur with mawnck's post ... esepcially the last part.

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

I don't see anything new about the PDC... I mean, we've been discussing that aspect the whole time, here!

However, I am interested in China not liking it.

What have they done in China to prevent such a mindset?


...Given them a half day park? ZING.

(Chill, I know it's a beautiful place, and it's quality is amazing, and I'd love to visit there... lol)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Facebook page already up. Click like and start commenting now!

<a href="http://www.facebook.com/" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/</a>#!/pages/Dont-Put-Meg-Crofton-in-Charge-of-Disney-Parks/166936780039771>>

Social media at its finest.

Anyone want to see if Jenn wants to chime in? Or how about Thomas ... or Duncan? ;-)

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

^^I just did. Now, Zenia Mucha will never accept my friend request!

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

So, spirit starts this thread, Disney Parks bloggers join twitter under their own names and iteract.


HMMMM.

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

<<So, spirit starts this thread, Disney Parks bloggers join twitter under their own names and iteract. >>

Is there really a connection between the two, i.e. did they really start on twitter after this thread was started?

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

It started after this thread. Very coincidental.

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

<<It started after this thread. Very coincidental.>>

So much about not giving any advice out for free - I guess they still were able to figure out one thing or two.

How are they on twitter - more of a real person than on the blog?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<It started after this thread. Very coincidental.>>

<<So much about not giving any advice out for free - I guess they still were able to figure out one thing or two.>>

So, now with all the management changes, should I send my consulting invoice to Meg? ;-)
And, seriously, what does it say about their efforts that something so basic to SOCIAL MEDIA had to be learned by stalking/trolling a LP thread started by yours truly?

What are they paying these losers for? Those blogs posts?!?! I could write (much better and more effectively) what they have six people doing daily in about an hour and have the rest of the day free to either reach out to the fan community, visit with fans in the parks or go charge a meal with some online bloggers at Olivia's to my company Visa! (yes, desserts for all)

<<How are they on twitter - more of a real person than on the blog?>>

Yeah ... how are they?

As stiff as that dude down on the Animation Board?

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

So, I work on a post (well, it's more work than taking pics of construction walls) where I give a shoutout to my good pal Leewhoactuallyneedsfanboiadulationlikekidneypatientsneeddialysis because he inspired a post and he doesn't even comment on it.

That is shameful.

Wait until the Mrs. hears about this one. I sincerely hope there are no knives around!

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Our understanding of consumers and our interface with them is critical to our success. Between our marketing and sales organizations, we seek to understand and engage consumers through insight research and effective, compelling communication.>>

From Tom Staggs 'internal' memo about the exec hokey-pokey, I found the above quote and just thought ... what the hell is he saying? And doesn't this deserve mention on a thread that's all about communication between fans and corporate?

Thoughts?

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

<<Our understanding of consumers and our interface with them is critical to our success. Between our marketing and sales organizations, we seek to understand and engage consumers through insight research and effective, compelling communication.>>

<<From Tom Staggs 'internal' memo about the exec hokey-pokey, I found the above quote and just thought ... what the hell is he saying? And doesn't this deserve mention on a thread that's all about communication between fans and corporate?

Thoughts?>>

Well, I've had 2 encounters with execs: 1 good and 1 bad.

The good: Jim MacPhee. He was very personable, engaging, and available on EPCOT's 25th. I know it's not much, but at least I walked away without disappointment.

The bad: Kevin Lansberry called me 2 years in response to a letter I wrote to him about Pleasure Island. Instead of listening to and/or responding to my concerns, he told me about every third party nighttime establishment on property. We didn't end the conversation on good terms. Kevin just didn't want to listen. Nice of him to call though. Probably thought I would be a pushover though.

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

I had a run in with an "unofficial" Disney social media person on Twitter yesterday. I had never given WDWNT much thought, but yesterday, I became exposed to their blatant whoring that would make even "The Mongello" blush. (Speaking of Ol' Lou, he's been laying pretty low lately...well, for him at least. Off-Season or did someone tell hims something?). WDWNT seems to think WDW is perfect, Potter is irrelevant, and Cars is the best PIXAR movie ever. Also, he loves him some Meg Crofton!


~Fanbois like Tom Corliss because he makes The Mongello and Steve look like The Spirit~

 

Originally Posted By Bolna

<<Our understanding of consumers and our interface with them is critical to our success. Between our marketing and sales organizations, we seek to understand and engage consumers through insight research and effective, compelling communication.>>

<<From Tom Staggs 'internal' memo about the exec hokey-pokey, I found the above quote and just thought ... what the hell is he saying? And doesn't this deserve mention on a thread that's all about communication between fans and corporate?

Thoughts?>>

I saw that paragraph you quoted as well and thought about how it relates to this thread. But then I thought it does not really mean anything - it is just an introduction to the change in the structure with regard to sales and marketing - intended to look good and positive, but not a lot of meaning behind it.

But apparently there is very strong emphasis on understanding the consumer and engaging them - which then will <<increase our ability to convert consumers into guests>> - or if thinking along the line of the previous post about the PDC - into pixie dust addicts?

One could also make a cynical comment about how only engaging into communications with TWDC will convert people into guests. Shouldn't everyone arriving at a park be treated as a guest and not only as a consumer? I always thought that that was the Disney difference?