My husband was assigned to a military base in Alabama for several years. I am a native of northern Ohio, which makes me a pretty thorough Yankee in any Southerner’s regard. But there were a number of things I loved about Alabama: the people were friendly, winter skies were blue-I even liked the little lizards that skitter around outside. (Our cat loved those little lizards, too. I did not love it when the cat caught the lizards.) I also loved that we could easily drive down to the ocean on a long weekend, and that for a vacation we could easily drive to Orlando, Florida, to visit Disney World.
I have friends that are Disney fanatics, always first in line for new Disney films, making their annual pilgrimages to the parks, and decking their children (and themselves) out in Disney merchandise otherwise. That’s not me. But I do enjoy Disney World, because I love to watch the business of Disney in action, and that business is the customer experience. What does Disney’s customer experience have to do with media convergence? Everything. Disney’s approach to the customer experience informs their mastery of media convergence, because they curate every aspect of a customer’s experience, whether in person or online.
Media Convergence
Media convergence can be defined in several different ways. There is the classic definition of the three C’s of computing, communication and content and where they meet in the digital landscape. But that’s pretty old school. (When was the last time you used the word, “computing?”) The more common understanding of media convergence has to do with technological convergence, namely the array of channels and platforms across which we can now communicate and do business. The typical old school marketing platforms of newspapers, magazines, radio, and network television now exist alongside websites, podcasts, blogs, social media, streaming platforms, etc. In order to communicate effectively to the public, your messaging has to move seamlessly across multiple platforms, with regard not only to the channel used but also the device your audience uses to access your channel. Content optimized for a laptop looks different than content optimized for a mobile phone or tablet, and may read differently as well. The devices used by consumers change quickly due to tech-driven innovations, with an estimated 2 billion people now accessing the internet just on a smartphone (Handley, 2019).
It’s not only the messaging that has changed. All businesses are impacted by media convergence because the digital landscape impacts business activities across the spectrum from value-creation, supply chains, advertising, sales, and finance to distribution. In 2013, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote that “the acceleration of information delivery, the end of the tyranny of place, and the dispersal of economic activity is a troika of network-driven change that rattles the foundation of commerce and culture” (NET EFFECTS: The Past, Present, and Future Impact of Our Networks, 2013). As a media giant with a $238.9 billion market cap and interests spanning the globe, Disney can attribute much of its success to its embrace of media convergence with business practices that not only innovate content but also acquire new digital properties and distribution networks (Beattie, 2011) .
Disney: From Customer Experience to Media Convergence
Before we delve into Disney’s domination of media convergence as one of the world's leading media empires, let’s chat about Disney and the customer experience. If you’ve been to Disney, you know that the magic is real. From the carefully designed themes of their attractions and resorts, to a friendly staff who readily engage in “surprise & delight” tactics like storm troopers suddenly surrounding you and dragging your child away to meet Kylo Ren, to keeping crowds entertained when they spend two hours in a line, Disney has done an extraordinary amount of work in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Attractions deploy visuals, sounds, smells, and sensations to achieve the goal of total customer engagement (Magic Kingdom’s A Bug’s Life, anyone?), with merchandising and post-experience engagements solidifying a magical experience.
Disney is King
Disney’s mastery of media convergence in their marketing and communications is something you have likely experienced (and definitely experienced if you have visited Disney World or Disneyland.) From the moment you engage with a Disney product, whether you clicked a Disney Plus Facebook ad or inquired about tickets to a Disney park, chances are you are being tracked and delivered ads on different platforms. You might be on your tablet or PC surfing the web when an ad pops up, or watching YouTube or Hulu or listening to Pandora when you see or hear a related Disney commercial. If you have the Disney app on your smartphone you may be receiving text messaging as well - and even if you don’t, simply walking onto a Disney property can tag your phone so that you are delivered mobile ads for a period of time afterwards. There is even tracking technology in place after you drive by some billboards (Digital Billboards Are Tracking You. And They Really, Really Want You to See Their Ads., n.d.).
If you’ve been to Disney World recently, perhaps you invested in the touted “magic bands.” These rubber bracelets are embedded with a computer chip, replacing everything from your entry ticket and fast passes to your credit card. The magic band allows Disney to track a customer through their entire park experience, through check-in at a Disney resort to food and merchandise purchases and every attraction visited. It can even track the length of time a customer interacts with a Disney character actor. This gives Disney a unique opportunity to collect detailed demographics on their guests after aggregating data from multiple sources, and compile statistics on the popularity of their attractions, merchandise and food offerings (Walpole & Writer, 2014) . The mouse is always watching you (cue spooky music.) As someone in marketing communications, I have to say that there is something that feels a little extra about the Disney touch. They’ve done their psychology homework, and it shows - or they are tracking me far more closely than I think. Regardless, when it comes to how to successfully navigate media convergence Disney sets the standard of success in their approach to the customer experience, ongoing acquisition of channels and platforms, and innovative business approach in the digital landscape.REFERENCES Beattie, A. (2011, September 19). Walt Disney: How Entertainment Became an Empire. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/11/walt-disney-entertainment-to-empire.asp Digital Billboards Are Tracking You. And They Really, Really Want You to See Their Ads. (n.d.). Consumer Reports. https://www.consumerreports.org/privacy/digital-billboards-are-tracking-you-and-they-want-you-to-see-their-ads-a1117246807/ Handley, L. (2019, January 24). Nearly three quarters of the world will use just their smartphones to access the internet by 2025. CNBC; CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/smartphones-72percent-of-people-will-use-only-mobile-for-internet-by-2025.html How Disney+ is Changing the Streaming Industry through Industrial Convergence. (2021, September 24). Diggit Magazine. https://www.diggitmagazine.com/papers/disney-changing-streaming-industry NET EFFECTS: The Past, Present, and Future Impact of Our Networks. (2013, December 2). Federal Communications Commission. https://www.fcc.gov/general/net-effects-past-present-and-future-impact-our-networks-0 Walpole, J., & Writer, S. S. (2014, January 6). Disney’s Magic Wristbands: Mickey Mouse is watching you. The American Genius. https://theamericangenius.com/tech-news/disneys-magic-wristbands-mickey-mouse-watching/amp/
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