Disney Adapts to Cultural Differences

Disney Adapts to Cultural Differences

Disney has to build awareness in China and other emerging markets because they will soon be major driving forces in terms of revenue. China is currently moving towards economic freedom and the closer it comes to that it that a massive market will emerge. Even broader than China, BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) has been identified as areas of rapid growth in the future, and having a foothold there helps ensure positive results and give them strong brand recognition when it occurs.

I fully agree with Disney’s decision to pursue localization as its approach to emerging markets. Cultures vary far too much for a global approach, with each country and region having their own unique values and beliefs on just about everything, their customary United States approach would likely falter (as it did in Hong Kong Disney’s first year of existence, falling short of expected customers). Perhaps one of the most important reasons a localization approach is needed is because of the way people unconsciously react to things. Many cultures react to colors, symbols, and even gestures entirely different. With this in mind, evaluating how each culture responds to these things can only help promote positive effects.   I personally thought the play on “Year of the Mouse” in the Chinese calendar involving Micky and Minnie Mouse while having them wear red, symbolic of good luck to them, was a very smart marketing ploy.

3. Why is HSM so successful in global markets?

The soundtrack of the Disney original movie “High School Musical” was released in January 2006, debuting near the bottom of the Top 200 in the United States.

Seven weeks later, after the Disney Channel premiere of the movie, it hit #1.

Disney knew that the movie was going to be big, but no one could expect that this musical, with a cast of six unknown actors would become a worldwide phenomenon.

The promotion of the movie started on New Year’s Eve in Disney Channel,...