Making Magic

What you can learn from Disney Online

It's no coincidence that Disney is one of the most recognizable and beloved brands in the world. The company places customers at the center of every business decision, and the result is pure magic. Consider Disney's online brand-building strategy. At a time when most kids are growing up with cell phones and staying connected through social networking sites such as Facebook, Disney is stepping up to meet the challenge by improving the user experience on Disney.com.

• Creating interactive platforms. In its customer research, Disney discovered that kids respond best to a website that is both engaging and interactive. The new Disney.com features a "create" portal that allows fans to express themselves creatively through artwork, comics, and even animations featuring familiar Disney characters. The key takeaway here is that Disney makes its customers feel like they're part of the company they love.
• Balancing brand messages. With so many different divisions within the Disney brand, creating a unified message on a single website was a big challenge. To meet the needs of its various audience segments, Disney created multiple navigation options. For example, fans of Mickey Mouse or specific characters from the movie Toy Story can find content especially for them. The same is true for fans of music or video games. By considering the many perspectives of its fans, Disney found an innovative way to engage them and keep them coming back to Disney.com.
• Staying true to the brand. According to Paul Yanover, executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online, keeping a solid grip on the core values of the company is especially important when building brand awareness. "Brand Disney will always be about creativity and storytelling, no matter the platform, media format, or device," he said. "From there, we develop new and innovative ways to create content and tell stories that resonate with Disney fans."