Walt Disney Company: A Historical Perspective - Research Paper Example

Walt Disney Company: A Historical Perspective Disney’s Pioneer Efforts The early year of 1920’s witnessed a profound change from customized way of entertainment into a more elaborate method of engaging the audiences’ attention. In 1923, Walter Elias Disney, the co-founder of Walt Disney Company, had taken the first of many steps in making his creative dream come true. Together with his brother, Roy, they established Walt Disney Studio, with their first works focused on making a success out of the cartoon adventures in Alice’s Wonderland, subsequently constructed another bestseller in a pure cartoon personality on “Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

” The debut acts would have paid off, had they ensured their investment; but unfortunately, an underhanded tactic by a distributing partner, M.J. Winkler, claimed exclusive signature on the said cartoons while the main contributors are stripped off their property right over the cartoons (“Company History” 1). The first attempt to make it in the entertainment arena, then, did not go well as anticipated. With such experience in mind, the Disney brothers proceeded in the same venture; this time, depending on their own capabilities to survive the cutthroat business in entertainment.

Armed with only innovative visions, Walt Disney created another character that will serve as Walt Disney Company’s distinct signature for decades to come. In 1928, a star had been launched in the name of Mickey Mouse, pioneering cartoon entertainment with synchronized sounds accompanying the mouse’s every move; and in later times, more vivid colors graced Mickey’s cartoon adventures (“Company History” 1). As the first cartoon studio to instigate such creative innovations, the astute actions of the Disney brothers ensured a stable place in media entertainment.

Even the unpredictable events on world history with the two world wars, these did not hamper Walt Disney from pursuing their artistic endeavors. Embarking on film and television, some of its triumphant risks include “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.Dumbo, and Bambi,” while television series set audiences agog with tube-screened productions of Disneyland. More specifically, television networks’ incorporation of “The Mickey Mouse Club.and The Wonderful World of Disney” proved a success in the industry of colored tubes (“The Walt Disney Company: Company Profile”).

With media entertainment at the palm of their hands, diverting into another entertainment- based enterprise is no longer a difficult feat. Review of Business Expansion Aside from apparent high esteem in media coverage, “parks and resorts, studio entertainment, and consumer products” had increased the bulk of profit in the company (”Walt Disney: Business Description”). All of them deal with entertaining people in the international levels, but each operates in different levels of expertise to bring quality recreation to their audience.

The media networking is in connection with numerous telecommunications medium, from classic television and radio broadcasting to Internet advertising. In a series of business partnership, business associations are mainly established with “ESPN, the Disney Channel, Toon Disney, SOAPnet, ABC Family, JETIX.and E!Entertainment Television” (“Walt Disney: Business Description”). In one way or the other, all of them agreed to air Walt Disney-related products and service advertisements. While various Disney networks appeal to home-based audiences, studio entertainment ensures that genres in acting and musical performances are currently updated.

Under the supervision of Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Films is subsidiary unit that formulates story lines for wider audience base (”Walt Disney: Business Description”). While the former is founded for younger consumers, the latter catches the attention of a more adult taste in entertainment. On the other side, the expansion in parks signifies the need for Disney-owned resorts, wherein personal needs are taken care on the duration of tour in amusement parks, from “dining…sports complex, conference centers, and golf courses” (“Walt Disney Co.”). Enjoyable pursuits, then, veered from television and film entertainment to more active physical respite.

Lastly, the advertisements rendered from the variety of telecommunication processes yield upsurge in Disney-inspired products. Mere printing of Disney characters in children’s textbook front cover has transformed into full-scale sales of consumer products, from personals things (clothing and footwear), to school supplies and books, and countless household electronic items and furnishings (“Company Overview”). Through “Disney Hardlines, Disney Softlines, Disney Toys, and Disney Homes.(and) Disney Press,” all the things mentioned beforehand are made available (“Walt Disney: Business Description”).

Walt Disney, then, ensured that almost all aspects of sales are possible, exploiting the full media exposure of Disney characters in reaching out to market consumers. Disney’s Recent Transactions Technological advances have created a path for new generation telecommunications, through wide utilization of Internet-based online video games and streaming. The interest, then, has shifted from the usual film and television entertainment to a more technological approach. Admittedly, the entertainment era in Walt Disney had received consecutive blows, both in poor performance in films and television projects, as well as mismanagement in the executive level of the company (“The Walt Disney Company: Company Profile”).

Such blows had resulted in poor financial profile of the company. In recovery, the new managing executives began a series of actions to recoup, acquiring Pixar Animations Studios in 2006; and eventually, the Marvel Entertainment in later years (Roberts). These are only the beginning of the resurgent efforts exerted by the current administration manning Walt Disney Company. To meet the changing preference of young consumers, the company had bought the rights for Wideload Games Inc., in the hopes of creating “original video games (Malhotra).

In par with this deed, the acquisition of Playdom as a social online gaming enterprise validates the notion that Walt Disney is aimed at widening its consumer scope, riding on the popularity of social networking sites to enhance the appeal of Playdom (Barnes & Miller). In its latest undertaking, Tapulous, the creative game designers behind Internet-related phone gadgets, is also taken in the helm of Walt Disney Company (Rubin). As iPhones and Ipads are gaining popularity these days, Walt Disney wanted a piece of its generated success, hence, the Tapulous merger.

Like the innovator that they are, Walt Disney Company looks up to Internet online activities as the future amusement genre. They, therefore, ensured that they are at the forefront of the technological change--as observed through various acquisitive actions. All in all, Walt Disney Company remains the instigator of entertainment revolution. Regardless of the huge break provided by the Disney brothers in the early decades, the company has demonstrated business strength amidst stiff competitions, as manifested by the score of business affiliations and subsidiaries they keep in the succeeding years.

Granted, Walt Disney had received destructive actions in top level management, as well as lower public reception on their film projects, but by digressing into fresher market tracks through Internet associations, Walt Disney Company may be on the right trail--an attest that the company had not lost their “magical touch” for creating new themes in reaching through people’s lives. Works Cited Barnes, Brooks, and Claire Cain Miller. “Disney Buys Playdom in $763 Million Deal, Beconing Hollywood Leader in Social Games.

” The New York Times 28 July 2010: B3. Print. . “Company History.” Disney. Disney.com, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. . “Company Overview.” Disney. Disney.com, n.d. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. . Malhotra, Heidi B. “In Recession, Walt Disney Expands Influence.” The Epoch Times 14 Oct. 2009: no pag. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. . Roberts, Johnie L. “Disney’s Iron Man.” Newsweek. Harman Newsweek, 2009. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. . Rubin, Courtney. “Disney Taps Tapulous.” Inc. Mansueto Ventures, 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. .

“The Walt Disney Company: Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on The Walt Disney Company.“ Reference for Business. Advameg, 2010. Web.14 Dec. 2010. . “Walt Disney: Business Description.” Fortune 500 Global. Admin, 2009. Web.14 Dec. 2010. . “Walt Disney Co.” Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg, 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2010. .