Disneyland and ABC
According to Anderson, how did Disneyland set ABC apart from NBC and CBS? What was distinctive about the show's appeal and form of production? How did the show double as advertising for Disney and the Disneyland theme park? Why do you think people were interested in seeing behind-the-scenes content that might also act as promotional material? In what ways does the show act as a precursor of similar content on TV today?
ABC was trailing behind NBC and CBS around the time Walt Disney was conceptualizing Disneyland and the show that would accompany it, which is one of the reasons why they went for Disney’s expensive ideas when the others wouldn’t. They would no longer be trailing after their partnership with Disney, which would radically reshape the landscape of television and Hollywood in the 1950s.
ReplyDeleteThe partnership initially represented a massive recruitment of Hollywood talent to expand into television. They created programs specifically meant to offer alternatives to shows airing on other networks - some of the first instances of counterprogramming. Disneyland, in particular, had a unique format that challenged how other television shows were structured: it was full of self-reference and self-promotion, and like like the popular radio programs of the 30s and 40s, provided an inside look at the production of entertainment in hollywood. Essentially, it made it difficult to distinguish what was entertainment and what was advertising, and promotions for the physical Disneyland resort melded easily with the surrounding content of Disneyland. People endured the advertising while being fascinated by the enjoyable voyeurism of seeing the behind-the-scenes content.
To me, Disneyland doesn’t have much in the way of a successor on mainstream television today, but it does remind me of the excitement surrounding tech events like E3 and Apple Press Conferences, where people are entertained by corporate advertising mixed with entertainment spectacle.
What set Disneyland apart from every other show and ABC apart from every other network was the fact at the same time Disney was making a show, he was also making an entertainment brand. While every other show/network was creating an entertainment program, Disney wanted to create a cultural experience, including an amusement park, that stemmed from a television show. With the entertainment brand as the mission, Disney created a stipulation that a network could only buy his show, Disneyland, if the network donated a lot of money (like we’re talking hundreds of thousands) to the building of Disneyland, a blueprint for an amusement park. Finally, what Disneyland and ABC were so intent on doing was not taking away audiences from CBS and NBC, but creating their own niched audience who could appreciate their entire franchise.
ReplyDeleteThe main appeal of this program was that it showed behind the scenes production of the Disney franchise. It let audiences into a life of glamour, entertainment, and Hollywood that they otherwise would not experience. What’s so interesting is that people assumed Disney wouldn’t want to share his secrets about animation, which wasn’t at all true. In fact, he wanted people to see how Disney was made and how the animations were created. This prompted him to show not only behind the scenes aspects of Disneyland, the program, but also Disneyland, the amusement park. This was a genius business tactic on Disney’s part because it gave viewers a total experience of Disney, while also prompting them to follow the journey of the amusement park creation - in effect, making people want to visit the amusement park. By allowing viewers into every aspect of the Disney franchise, people were more prompted to become involved and to spend money on products, bringing in revenue and profit for Disney.
Basically, Disney is a genius. He took ABC, the third biggest network at the time (which doesn’t say much because it was significantly smaller than CBS and NBC) and significantly helped make it what it is today. Likewise, he was doing something different from everyone else in the industry, which helped him garner attention, viewers, and amusement park goers. Now with Disney amusement parks all over the world and an entire channel dedicated to his programming, I would say Disney’s franchise is doing pretty well for itself.
What set Disneyland apart from other networks such as NBC or CBS, was Walt Disney's sheer determination to create a "brand" rather than just a television network/show. Disney specifically allowed viewers a "behind the scenes" look at many of its different aspects - the production of the TV show, the creation of the park, the drawing of animations, etc. which had never been done before on television. Because Disney was so upfront with the general public by choosing to allow the inner workings of his mind be broadcast on television, the general pubic in return was very eager to follow up, support and contribute their hard earned revenue into his creations in any way that they could. I think just the name Disney itself and the way that Walt Disney incorporated the addition of "land" at the end of his name to create an entire amusement park is just so amazing. I feel like Walt Disney always had advertising on his mind and it is part of the reason why he became such a success. I honestly can't think of one television show on today that would even compare to this. It's crazy to see how many seasons that this show went on for. My boyfriend's mom did a bunch of Disney films and this show in the 70s and hearing her stories are always the best!
ReplyDeleteABC was slated third, after NBC and CBS. But after they invested in Disneyland, a financial risk the other two weren’t willing to take, it became a win-win situation. The nation was enamored of Disney, and thus nearly all of America turned their TVs to ABC. And then Disney got all the publicity and advertisement for the new park that they needed. Walt knew what he was doing, and he knew it was going to work.
ReplyDeleteThe show itself was a conglomerate of Disney cartoons, specially created content for the show, promotional shorts for upcoming movies, advertisement of Disney property, and behind the scenes looks at the creation of both the park and the films themselves. To be honest, how are you NOT interested in that? There is something for everybody, even the parents. People also are usually interested in documentaries about the making of movies and the like. And now you can see what will be arriving at a theater near you and what attractions will be at the park so you can start planning your family outings to the movies and your vacation to Anaheim.
Although he was an exceptional, creative artist, Walt Disney was also an ambitious, brilliant businessman. Disney was the ultimate showrunner, several steps ahead of everybody, and intuitive with what the public liked, which enabled him to create his famous brand. He pitched his show to the big networks, NBC, CBS, and ABC, with the catch that if they had his show, they would also help finance Disneyland, an amusement park. However, only one network decided to take the risk, ABC. The network was not originally considered much competition to the other two (NBC & CBS), so they needed to be daring .
ReplyDeleteDisney’s show was not just a show, it was an empire. Just like ABC, the show needed to set itself apart from the other networks’ shows. The content was interconnected, and full of promoting itself, Disney. The show also offered an inside look at behind the scenes in the studio, somewhat creating an idealistic vision of what the environment and work was like there. By allowing viewers to see how they created animations and Disneyland, people may have felt like part of the experience, increasing their fascination with the show and luring them to visit the park. Moreover, there might not be another Disney, but it paved way for the idea that a show airing on a television screen did not just have to stay there, but could become part of other industries. The Disney franchise was a first in many ways, and it offered people something different to connect with, and this difference was a success.
The rise of Disney in the 50s was due largely in part to their partnership with ABC. The show itself was different from anything that any television viewer had seen before. With such cartoons as Steamboat Willy and others the Disney/ABC partnership created a platform for creative and journalistic expression. The emergence of Disneyland as a theme park was pivotal because it allowed what was intangible on television to become tangible. What other network allowed their viewers to actually step inside of their cartoons and walk around, interacting with the characters and entering a different state of mind while staying in the confines of reality? At the time there were none. Today, however, there are many examples of Disneyland's model. Most conventions like ComicCon, E3, and many others provide the same fantastical atmosphere the Disneyland provided while still pertaining to a certain type of consumer.
ReplyDeleteABC, after the UPT-ABC merger, was searching for ways to become an equal competitor with NBC and CBS without subjecting to the industry’s most common strategies like using established celebrities and acquiring programs supplied by sponsors. This dream to be different led to ABC’s Hollywood-produced TV series, which, like Disneyland, really set the network apart. ABC decided their target audience would be “youthful families” with children, eventually leading to their purchase of Disney and 35% share in the theme park. ABC stood out because it took a risk in the Disneyland theme park and the expensive deal that came with it, unlike its competitors that were scared away by the idea; in their attempt to revitalize, ABC had almost nothing to lose, which resulted in them making an acquisition in which they had everything to gain.
ReplyDeleteThe Disneyland TV series mainly served to publicize Disney products—in fact, nearly one-third of each episode directly promoted the studio itself. This form of self-promotion was actually taken from radio and adapted for television—Walt Disney was simply capitalizing on the blurred lines between entertainment and advertising. Disney cleverly made behind-the-scenes promotional content into must-see television by showing James Mason fighting a man-made hurricane on stage or airing episodes like “Operation Underseas” approximately a week before films like 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was released. By framing the content in an educational light, Disney basically tricked viewers into falling for the same Hollywood scams that they’ve been subject to for years.
Disneyland set the tone for most content on TV today; they pioneered the industry in a unique way that has not been lost in all these years. Nothing can really compare to the empire that is Disney, but many modern TV shows use similar tactics. I can see Disney’s influence in reality shows like the Real Housewives series, for example. The show always draws in more viewers by throwing in faux “behind the scenes” episodes in which the stars sit together in a poorly moderated panel and yell and scream about all the drama that you just watched unfold in the actual series. They draw you in with the “real looks” and influence you to dig deeper and become as involved in any aspect possible, just like Disney.
In the early 50s, Walt Disney was beginning his plans to create the worldwide phenomenon we know of today. Disney would be a brand that would not only span over all forms of communications, but would travel into real life advertising and experimenting with an amusement park. These tactics would hopefully appeal to all audience members regardless of age. Walt’s television business adventure seemed too ambitious for the first choices NBC and CBS, which left the lagging third place choice, ABC. Their choice to invest wholeheartedly in Disney and Disneyland proved to be a monumental decision.
ReplyDeleteTheir programming for Disney was like nothing else on television because of behind the sense production. Television had never before given viewers a window into the world of the glamorous life of Hollywood entertainment. He showed everything from how animation works to the building of amusement parks and rides creating an honest yet curious relationship with viewers. Not only did the show create a strong viewership for ABC, they were subconsciously being advertising everything Disney. To me, seeing these behind the scenes actions probably made the viewers even more included to visit the famous amusements parks.
There are some companies today that I think use this tactic to promote their product, perhaps not on the cultural phenomenon level as Disney but in smaller ways. CSR initiatives are one way I think companies advertise themselves in the modern age of television. For example, the body soap Dawn used the campaign “Dawn helps save Wildlife” to show the company behind the scenes on an important cultural event (oil spills), where viewers could follow their online adventurous saving animals while promoting their product.
What made ABC set apart from NBC and CBS was creative and innovative mindset that Walt Disney had. By creating content, such as Disneyland, Mickey Mouse (his most famous creation) and other animations, he was able to reach audiences in a way NBC and CBS did not. ABC wanted to offer alternative programming for its audience. Disneyland served as double promotion for Disney. According to him, the park Disneyland and the show were the same. The show’s main introduction mentions the four parts of the park as the theme of the week.
ReplyDeleteIt’s fascinating to see the behind the scenes of a show that is more cartoon based compared to watching how live action works. Seeing how your favorite characters come to life is more engaging, well to me it is since I love animation. On the promotional side, this will make people interested in wanting to go to Disneyland.
Because ABC was lagging behind so much, they decided to create a new market instead of competing with NBC and CBS in an already established market. It was the decision to have more filmed television rather than live television, that led ABC to take on the risk of "Disneyland" that the others passed on.
ReplyDeleteDisney's character-based tactics allowed them to broaden their marketing beyond a category of products. They could put a picture of Mickey Mouse on anything and it could sell, due to the show's focus on selling the BRAND of Disney, rather than the products. With behind the scenes footage and explanation of well-known movies, Disney framed knowledge of Disney as a commodity. Framing it as an educational show, it also made this knowledge seem valuable.
By creating an interest and love in the brand of Disney, it made anything they produced under that brand seem special, the penultimate example being the theme park. This love was especially emphasized in children, who would become so attached to the Disney world on screen, that the theme park seemed like a dream come true. Anderson explains that tourism was seen by some as being motivated by a search for authenticity. Television's proximity to authenticity, creates a longing in the viewer for that one step further. Disneyland used that longing to sell tickets to the theme park by presenting it as the physical destination and representation of that authenticity that people seek.
As for today, there are tours of sets in Hollywood as well as events such as comic-con. Watching television makes people attached to what is on screen, as well as all the things and people that put it together. These events capitalize on that, just as Disney did.
Disneyland set ABC apart from industry leaders NBC and CBS because it was not live broadcasting, but filmed ‘behind the scenes’ episodes that included longer serial narratives, targeted a segment of the population that NBC and CBS were not meeting the needs of, did not rely on advertising agency sponsors that could switch networks easily, and was framed as an educational program. The show itself was distinctive for its behind-the-scenes look at how Disney creates its films and runs it’s studio. It was also distinctive for having longer serial narratives, using mostly recycled work, and being incredibly self-promotional for all other Disney texts including its companion, the physical Disneyland that viewers were encouraged to visit. Disneyland doubled for advertising for all things Disney, but especially Disneyland, by framing “the program within an educational discourse, reassuring viewers that they inhabited a position of privileged knowledge that was available only through television” (Anderson 144). Most importantly though, Disneyland the show acted to promote all of the Disney texts as a single, united ‘total merchandising’ brand by showing behind-the-scenes takes of upcoming Disney films, and showcasing the Disney products are works of art to be taken seriously and canonized, not fleeting pop references. The show Disneyland allowed Disney to create a story about the Disney theme park that would encourage viewers to see it in a particularly flattering light (mostly educational and family oriented). People were interested in seeing behind-the-scenes content that was also promotional because of the way it was marketed as educational and as part of a ‘bigger picture’ of Disney. They would watch the behind-the-scenes of 20,000 Leagues under the Sea because it would get them excited to go watch the film upon release and feel superior in their knowledge of how it was made. The show acted as a precursor for later television content by emphasizing longer and filmed narratives, targeting young children, and changing how sponsorship of television shows is done.
ReplyDeleteThe clip shown exemplifies these aspects of Disneyland. One of the sponsor’s is a cheap, daily use product (peter pan peanut butter) targeted at the post-war baby boomer growing family that ABC chose to target as they felt NBC and CBS were not meeting the needs of young families. Additionally, the show emphasizes it’s educational aspects (calling itself a “science special”) and is divided into the four worlds that the actual Disneyland park in Los Angeles was divided into as well, presenting a united “total merchandising” world of interconnected Disney texts that existed in reality and on television and in the movie theatres.
The scope/vision of Walt Disney himself is what distinguished ABC in the 1950s. NBC and CBS represented themselves and their shows as entertainment productions that were small in scope and individualized. As Anderson stated, “Disney harbored no illusions about dominating TV production.” Disneyland and its partnered franchise were all-encompassing cultural diversification. The show would not just be a “show”, but also a gateway into an experience.
ReplyDeleteThis is the genius behind Disney. Disneyland showed viewers the intricacies of the theme park and the Disney brand. It was a form of self-advertising where viewers were encouraged to take part in the whole experience and buy/enjoy products or theme park tickets. Anderson explains that Walt and Roy Disney wanted to transform their original Disney brand into more than just an dependent film producer. ABC took a risk and helped them create an entertainment corporation that was very open with its operations. Viewers were enticed by the behind-the-scenes content as it was a fresh and new way of consuming media. The television world was invested in making stories but it was Disneyland that allowed viewers to take place within that world.
To this effect, Disneyland set the scene for shows such as E-News and VH1 specials where they look back on events or periods of time and look behind the curtain. Modern day television viewers are engrossed in the entertainment industry and its dealings and consume media that describes what we don’t see on the screen.
Disney set ABC apart from NBC and CBS because he was brave enough to take more risks because of his recent financial struggles that the other companies had yet to go through. He realized early on that in order to be the most successful he needed to expand his brand into many different avenues and ventures including the park to along with the show. This set ABC apart from the rest because they reached a lot more people in different ways and was okay with taking chances.
ReplyDeleteBecause they were in several different ventures the show advertised for these things because the more people loved the show and it’s characters the more they would want to go to the park or buy toys of them in stores in order to interact with them outside of the television. They received free advertisement just by running the show.
The show acts to a precursor to what is show on television today because they were one of the first to bring the format of offering alternative shows to what was being showed on a different network (counter programming) which is very similar to how many networks are today where they have several different shows of the same genre on different networks in order to compete with each other
Initially, ABC was trailing behind NBC and CBS in the television market. But instead of trying to outdo their competitor’s at their own game, ABC decided they needed to take a new approach if they wanted to be competitive. One of the things they did, was they began to focus on demographics. Instead of trying to create content for all audiences, ABC wanted to “’carve [their] own network character, to create new audiences’” (140, Anderson.) They focused on children, and young families. They tried to obtain advertisers with products who best matched their targeted audiences. ABC also determined that producing their own content would be too risky, and again was something that their competitors were already doing (and successfully.) Instead, they focused on courting Hollywood-produced series, creating a higher studio quality to their programs as well as serve as a counter-program to the other networks that focused on liveness and spectacle. (ABC would focus less on displaying content from a particular live event, and instead wanted to consistently air programs for their audiences.)
ReplyDeleteDisneyland met many of these requirements. The show was able to produce new content (such as Davy Crockett) that targeted young children and families. However, the show also was unique in that it serviced the Disney brand. The show spent a lot of effort trying to create an aura of authenticity, of honesty. Walt Disney was the host of the show, the man behind the curtain. His seeming openness about his business gave a sense of comfort to audiences who, before this time, had rarely been given the opportunity to see how the Hollywood system worked. The things Disney showed in his program were new and surprising revelations to the everyday viewer, and this honesty helped establish a trust between company and consumer.
Of course, this also allowed Disney to plug-in his own films and products. His documentaries, behind-the-scenes content, and even his catalogue of old cartoons and films acted more to supplement the new products he was releasing. One week, you saw how Donald Duck was animated, and the next you saw what the final product looked like. The show was designed to keep audiences wanting more. You never see the full picture until you’ve consumed it all. This was ultimately exemplified in the Disneyland theme park, which served as one of the main points of the Disneyland show: “A trip to Disneyland—using the conceptual map provided by the program—offered the family viewer a chance to perform in the Disneyland narrative, to provide unity and closure through personal experience, to witness the “aura” to which television’s reproductive apparatus could only allude.” (153, Anderson).
ABC was in a bad place before Disneyland started airing on the channel. They were third place in a race of three, trailing badly behind CBS. ABC knew it couldn't compete head to head with the other networks, so it began targeting an audience the other networks weren't. The "young housewife" with "two to four kids" became the target audience for ABC, and they began advertising products young mothers would need (140). Disneyland brought in a lot of advertising for ABC, because companies trusted the Disney brand. However, they didn't foresee just how big Disneyland would become.
ReplyDeleteDisneyland was a program targeted specifically at children, and so, it could get away with an egregious amount of self-promotion in each episode, as well as air reruns more frequently. Parents didn't mind the program because it marketed itself as "educational," teaching children about various historical events, scientific facts, etc., but also showing behind the scenes footage on how Disney movies were made (144). This behind the scenes footage was educational, yes, but it doubled as promotional material for Disney films because it made the audience invested in the success of the films. A narrative was constructed around the creation of the film, and the audience was invited to take part in that narrative by seeing the finished film on the big screen. Contrary to the idea that showing the mechanics of something would diminish its "aura," Disney films created a bigger "aura" for themselves through this behind the scenes narrative (145). People also may have been interested in the behind the scenes footage because it revealed to them the magic of movies. They could find enjoyment in learning how movies are made, similar to the enjoyment felt when a magician reveals the secret of his trick (145).
Likewise, footage showing the construction of the actual theme park itself, Disneyland, the show promoted the park to audience members all over the country. Audiences could see the attractions on the screen, and this would increase their desire to visit these attractions in real life. This strategy paid off as the company drew in $10mil from the park's first year, and 43% of the visitors were from out of state (153).
Disneyland's use of "behind the scenes" footage as promotional material doesn't seem to be used that much today, at least in terms of TV material. The last time I saw an actual "behind the scenes" clip on TV was actually on Disney channel back when I was a kid. "Behind the scenes" footage is often added as an extra on DVDs, or put on the internet to create intrigue about a film, but I don't think it's been used as extensively as Disney used it, since Disney used it.