1. Walt Disney
Case Study

2. • The Walt Disney Company (known as Disney) was
founded on October 16th 1923 by brothers Walt and
Roy Disney as a small animation studio.
• Now it is one of the largest Hollywood studios.
• It owns 11 theme parks, 2 water parks and several
TV channels, including the American Broadcasting
Company (ABC.)
• Disney’s corporate headquarters and primary
production facilities are located at the Walt Disney
Studios in Burbank, California, USA.

3. • June 12th 2006 – Disney Mobile phone
service is launched.
• January 23rd – Disney announces a deal
to purchase Pixar Animation Studios in an
all-stock transaction worth $7.4bn.
• July 2006 – Disney film Pirates of the
Caribbean 2 is the highest grossing film in
opening weekend history at
$135,000,000 USD.
• Employees 2006 – 133,000.

4. Media and Entertainment:
• American Broadcasting Company
• Buena Vista Distribution
• Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group
• Walt Disney Studio Entertainment
• Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
• Disney Consumer Products

5. Strengths:
• Global Standardisation.
• Achieves target audience (children.)
• Creative Process.
• Brand name known across the world.
• Diversification
• Financially strong
Weaknesses:
• High sunk cost.
• Excessive research and development.
• High investment.
• High risk factor.

6. Opportunities:
• Merchandise expanding.
• Global localisation.
• Characters of national or regional appeal.
• Cheaper alternatives to soft toys.
• Disney Music Channel.
Threats:
• Competitors: national, regional & global.
• Employee retention.
• Highly demanding in terms of sales, creativity and
innovation.
• Brand consistency.
• Profit differentiation.

7. • Disney Channel.
• Disney theme parks and resort.
• Disney Stores.
• Disney Studios.
• DVD/Blu Ray/video.
• Soundtracks.
• Board games.
• Offers a co-branded Visa card to adults – card holders earn $1 for every
$100 charged to the card (can charge up to $75,000 annually) and then can
redeem earnings for Disney merchandise or services.
• Home depot – offering a line of licensed childrens room paint colours with
paint swatches in the signature Mickey Mouse ears shape.
• Licensed food products with its characters on its brands, e.g. Disney
provides a yoghurt called Yo-Pals yoghurt with features Winnie the Pooh
and friends.

8. • Pirates of the Caribbean – video game,
DVD/video, TV series and comic books.
• Home on the Range – accompanying sound track
album, line of toys, clothing featuring the
heroine, theme park ride and a series of books.
• Kim Possible – stationery, lunchboxes, food
products, room decor, sportswear, sleepwear,
daywear, accessories, action figures, beanbags,
fashion dolls, diaries, junior novels, comic books,
soundtrack, DVD/video and a Game Boy Advance
game.

9. • Net income: $5.7bn – an increase of 18% from 2011.
• Revenue: Record $42.3bn – up 3% from 2011.
• Gained the media brands: ESPN, ABC, Pixar and
Marvel.
• Wreck-It Ralph delivered the highest grossing
opening weekend in Disney Animation history and
also became the 75th Disney film to cross the $100m
domestic box office threshold.
• Marvel’s The Avengers was the year’s #1 hit as well as
the third-highest grossing film of all time, with more
than $1.5bn.