It would be hard to argue the case for a more recognizable entertainment brand than Disney. Disney is of course synonymous with Walt Disney, but it was Walt and his brother Roy who started the company in 1923 in Burbank, California. Disney content is now broadcast on over 100 channels in 34 different languages across the globe.
Brand recognition – Disney has a prominent position in the entertainment market and indeed in society. Disney owns a large proportion of childhood characters of whom some become children’s role models. In this way, Disney is ever-present as children grow into adults with more purchasing power.
Global reach – Disney reaches a truly global audience because of the universal themes in its entertainment shows that transcend language and culture. It has also established 11 theme parks worldwide to promote awareness of the brand and penetrate new markets.
Diversification – many consumers will be surprised to learn that ESPN and Freeform are also Disney companies. The company has also acquired the rights for all Star Wars and Marvel franchises and their related products.
Brand equity – in general, Disney is perceived as a respectable provider of high-quality goods and services. It does not need to defend or market product quality, and it would be difficult to see another company making a significant dent in Disney’s market share.
Weaknesses
Omnipresence – some believe that Disney’s influence is so vast that the company’s presence has infiltrated almost every aspect of consumer life. This so-called “Disney-ization” is often pervasive and difficult to detect and has negative connotations for some customer relations.
High-cost products and services – consumers are willing to pay for the privilege of owning Disney products because of the company’s brand equity – but only to an extent. Disney amusement parks are notoriously expensive, and its cable channels are often not included in standard cable packages.
Seasonality – Disney’s media networks, amusement parks, and advertising revenue are all impacted by the changing seasons. As a result, Disney has to work harder to attract and retain customers during quiet periods, contributing to the pervasive presence in consumer lives mentioned above.
Opportunities
Diversification through acquisition – in late 2019, Disney acquired 21st Century Fox and its streaming service Hulu. It also gained the rights to National Geographic and 21st Century Fox’s vast library of content. This will allow Disney to diversify its programming reach to children and adults alike.
Movie rights – currently, Turner Broadcasting holds the rights to early Star Wars films. The benefits for Disney gaining the rights to these films would mean it has complete ownership of the franchise.
Changes in media consumption in children – the children of today are more technologically savvy than ever. They are also more empowered about what they watch, with studies showing they spend almost 11 hours a day consuming media across various devices. This represents a huge opportunity for Disney market their content.
Threats
Streaming competition – while Disney enjoys little competition elsewhere, it is very much a late adopter of streaming services. Netflix and Amazon are long-established players in this segment that Disney will find difficult to take market share from.
Anti-technology sentiment – as children become more technologically savvy, their parents are taking an increasingly active role in preserving a child’s innocence by encouraging them to interact in the “real world”. This compromises Disney’s ability to reach children in what is undoubtedly one of their core strategies.
Increased regulatory pressure – changes in consumer trends in media consumption have created many new laws and regulations regarding privacy, data protection, safety, licensing, and distribution. These have the potential to reduce company profits and restrict expansion into new markets.
Key Highlights
Strengths:
Brand Recognition: Disney is an iconic and highly recognizable entertainment brand with a strong influence on childhood and consumer preferences.
Global Reach: Disney’s universal themes and 11 theme parks worldwide contribute to its ability to reach a diverse global audience.
Diversification: Disney’s ownership of ESPN, Freeform, Star Wars, and Marvel franchises expands its portfolio and market presence.
Brand Equity: Disney is widely perceived as a provider of high-quality goods and services, allowing it to maintain a significant market share.
Weaknesses:
Omnipresence: Some critics argue that Disney’s pervasive influence, known as “Disney-ization,” negatively impacts customer relations.
High-Cost Products and Services: Disney’s amusement parks and cable channels can be expensive, potentially limiting consumer access.
Seasonality: Disney’s revenue is affected by seasonal fluctuations, requiring efforts to attract and retain customers during quieter periods.
Opportunities:
Diversification through Acquisition: Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox and Hulu diversifies its programming reach, appealing to both children and adults.
Movie Rights: Gaining the rights to early Star Wars films could enhance Disney’s control and ownership of the franchise.
Changing Media Consumption in Children: Disney can capitalize on children’s increased media consumption and technological savvy to market its content effectively.
Threats:
Streaming Competition: Established streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon pose significant competition to Disney in the streaming services segment.
Anti-Technology Sentiment: As parents encourage children to engage more in the “real world,” Disney faces challenges in reaching its target audience through digital platforms.
Increased Regulatory Pressure: Evolving laws and regulations related to privacy, data protection, safety, licensing, and distribution may impact Disney’s profits and market expansion efforts.
Disney’s main shareholders include Robert A. Iger, chief executive officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company between 2005-2020 and he returned as CEO by 2022. Other significant individual shareholders, as of 2022, comprise Susan E. Arnold, Christine M. McCarthy, and Alan N. Braverman. Main institutional investors include Blackrock Inc. with 6.4% and The Vanguard Group with 8%, respectively.
It would be hard to argue for a more recognizable entertainment brand than Disney. Disney is, of course, synonymous with Walt Disney, but it was Walt and his brother Roy who started the company in 1923 in Burbank, California. Disney content is now broadcast on over 100 channels in 34 different languages across the globe.
Samsung was founded in South Korea in 1938 by Lee Byung-Chul. Originally a trading company, it took Samsung 22 years to become the fully-fledged electronics company that most people recognize today. Indeed, the company is a leader in technological innovation through telecommunications, electronics, and home appliances.
Costco is a large American multinational corporation with a focus on low-cost, membership-only retail warehouse clubs. Costco is the 4th largest retail operator in the world, operating 785 warehouses in 10 different countries. Indeed, it has enjoyed rapid success growing from zero to $3 billion in sales within six years.
From humble beginnings just over 50 years ago, Walmart has grown to become the world’s largest retail company. A single small discount store in Arkansas has now expanded to over 11,000 stores in 28 countries. Some reports suggest that the company now makes $1.8 million of profit every hour.
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Uber started as a peer-to-peer ridesharing platform. In more recent times, the company has moved into food delivery, rental cars, and bike-sharing. In one form or another, Uber now has a presence in over 900 cities worldwide.
It would be hard to argue the case for a more recognizable entertainment brand than Disney. Disney is of course synonymous with Walt Disney, but it was Walt and his brother Roy who started the company in 1923 in Burbank, California. Disney content is now broadcast on over 100 channels in 34 different languages across the globe.
Coca-Cola is the market leader of the soft drink industry. It is also the most widely recognized brand, with a Business Insider study revealing that a staggering 94% of the world population recognizes the red and white logo. However, Coca-Cola faces significant challenges with increasingly health-conscious consumers and less access to water resources.
Founded in 1903 by Henry Ford and is the fifth-largest family-owned company in the world. Ford is a globally recognized brand in the automotive industry for a couple of reasons. First, Henry Ford is well-known as the inventor of the production line and thus the modern automobile industry. Today, Ford has also maintained relevance as the seventh-largest car manufacturer worldwide, selling a range of passenger cars, trucks, and vans.
Tesco was founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen, as a small group of market stalls. After rapid expansion in the following years, the company became the largest retailer in the UK and is now the second-largest in the world. To put their dominance into perspective, consider that Tesco serves around 66 shoppers per second across 7000 retails stores, delivering approximately $180,000 worth of sales every minute.
Nestlé is a large multinational food and beverage manufacturer with more than 2000 brands spread across 197 countries. Some of Nestlé’s well-known brands include Nescafe, Kit-Kat, Purina, Aero, Butterfinger, Maggi, and Haagen-Dazs. Originally a producer of infant food in 1867, it is now considered to be the world’s largest food manufacturer.
Amazon is among the most diversified business model in the tech industry. The company is well-positioned to dominate e-commerce further. And while its online stores have tight profit margins, Amazon still unlocks cash for growth, while consolidating its dominance in the cloud and grabbing new opportunities like voice.
Facebook, with its products, with its strong appeal, and consumer brand has a solid businessmodel, threatened in the last years by privacy concerns, which open up the way to potential regulation to break up the company. If that will not happen, Facebook will have the chance to expand to define other markets like VR.
Starbucks is a global consumer brand with direct distribution, recognized brands, and products that make it a viable business. Its reliance on the Americas as a primary operating segment makes it a weakness. At the same time, Starbucks faces risks related to coffee beans price volatility. Yet the company still has global expansion opportunities.
Among the most recognized car manufacturers, Tesla is valued more than the combined market capitalization of GM and Ford. While the company’s direct distribution is a strength, its lack of financial viability is a weakness. Competition is a future threat. However, if Tesla defines a new market for car manufacturing its potential growth will be massive.
Netflix is among the most popular streaming platforms, with a subscription-based businessmodel. The brand, platform, and content are strengths. The volatility of content licensing and production are weaknesses. The streaming market is a potential blue ocean. Inability to attract and retain premium members, and its fixed long-term costs are threats to its businessmodel.
Apple can leverage a strong consumer brand and set of successful products as a strength. Yet the company is still too reliant on the iPhone as a primary revenue stream. Though Apple is working to open up new markets as an opportunity, it has to make sure to sustain its stores’ sales.
Google’s strength is its strong consumer brand. The company is grabbing new opportunities by opening up industries like voice search and consolidating in industries like the cloud. As a weakness, its revenues primarily come from advertising. A primary threat is the quick change of search and potential intervention by regulators.
Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
