I had the opportunity to head over to the D23 Expo from Orlando last week. The event was wonderful, so much to see. It was great meeting many of you at the book signing. I took in as much as I could, but what I observed the most were those who were loyal to Disney.
That began around 5 a.m. Being an early riser, and from the East Coast, I wake up very early whenever I’m on the West Coast. This trip was no exception. I stayed at the Marriott next to the Expo, and decided I would walk to the 7-11 on Katella Avenue and Harbor Boulevard to get something to bring back for breakfast. As I stepped out of the hotel, I found quite a crowd gathered for the first morning of the event. Indeed, in addition to press, there were some 100 D23 Members all waiting in line.
5:00 am on Day 1 of the D23 Expo. Photo by J. Jeff Kober.
Can you find that anywhere else except at an Apple Store?
By the way, these individuals had all pre-paid to come to the conference. The reward was entry an hour early into the event, which began officially at 9 a.m. That meant they were committed to at least standing in line three hours before entering (only two people were standing in an different queue by that hour to admit those who were not D23 members). So in addition to waiting three hours and paying $30 for at least one day’s entry, they had paid a membership fee of some $75 up front.
At the event, many D23 members wore their favorite Disney T-shirt. Some came much more dressed up for the occasion—especially as their favorite character. There was Pinocchio and Alice. Here was my favorite: the Rocketeer.
For those who loved Disney, there was much to entice.
Here’s one that has been drawing Disney’s most loyal customers: The Disney Vacation Club.
There was also the opportunity to get married Disney Style:
But there are other newer choices. At Disney Color by Behr, fans could choose wall colors from an array of Disney shades:
Then furnish your room with some of these Disney choices:
Still not enough? How about a Disney playhouse outside for the kids? This one is Mickey’s Diner:
Beyond the wallet, I won’t even get into the lifestyle choices many of these loyalists make to be a part of the Disney experience. More interesting, is why this happens, and how it can happen in any organization, not just Disney. Richard Siklos, in Fortune Magazine, pontificated on the D23 experience earlier this week. You can find the entire article online (link), but this is what he notes:
“Sitting there, I couldn’t help but marvel that the crowd had paid to see what is essentially a sales pitch when they could have just gone literally across the street to Disneyland for the real deal. Yet they loved every word and image.
“Of course this audience was already pre-sold on Disney, and what they were really paying for was the feeling of being an insider. But more than that was an inescapable irony: in the digital age, with all its virtual means to connect with consumers, the most valuable customer just might be the one you can get to come meet you in person.”
Siklos nails a key reason why people can be loyal to a particular brand. In truth, there are five reasons why people are loyal. And Disney delivers to all five:
1. People want to feel a part of something larger. D23 is delivering directly to this as Siklos points out. In memberships, in unique merchandise, and especially, in hosting an expo where people can come and feel a part of a big event. People were willing to pay for that feeling of being on the inside. It also explains Disney’s phenomenal success with the Disney Vacation Club.
2. People want to be heard and understood. Disney constantly comes back to the idea that it’s all about the story. But what is it about the story that makes people become sold on someone like Simba or Ariel or Lightning McQueen? It’s because people feel understood by their story. They see a part of them within that experience. They liken themselves to those characters and the experience they had. That’s a powerful feeling when you are understood.
3. People want stability and control. At Disneyland’s entrance point we read, “Here you leave today, and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” Whether it’s an episode of Lost or an entire Walt Disney World Resort experience, you have an opportunity to escape and feel like you’ve come to a safe place. It’s the media conglomerate equivalent of having your mom or dad read bedtime stories before you went to bed.
4. People want to experience variety. Disney’s lowest point was in the 1970s when it delivered the same old product. Conversely, Walt once said that Disneyland would never be completed. Why is that statement important? It’s because people want something new. Therefore, Disney today seeks to build in a number of different directions, platforms, and mediums in order to capture its audience. It’s acquisition with Marvel is one case in point. D23 becomes a forum for introducing them to those new opportunities.
5. People want to be successful. At the heart of a great Disney story is “They all lived happily ever after.” Mickey Mouse himself represents a happy-go-lucky successful icon. People want that for themselves. And they find it vicariously through what is after all, the happiest brand on earth.
When people have any of these needs met, it becomes an emotional experience. And that emotional experience leads them to being very loyal. How do they express it? Well, in the old world, you were forced to come to the castle to pay your taxes to the king. In the Disney World of today, you bring buckets of your money (or plastic) to the castle, and you do so willingly. And it’s all because Disney meets some very real needs.
The real truth is, anyone can meet those real needs. Apple, for instance, meets many of those needs very well through its computers, iPods and iPhones. So does Harley-Davidson (the original brand for tattooing a corporate logo on your arm). It’s about taking the products and services you have and shaping them in a way that focuses on those needs. And remember, your customers are both internal as well as external.
That’s the magic of any business: Meeting the real needs of your customers. And when it happens—it’s really magical.
