Marketing Case Study

This case studies the Disney company and it's target market. Disney started off only focusing on younger children. However, when Bob Iger took over, he changed Disney movies and shows to suit teens and even adults by purchasing Pixar. Pixar revitalized Disney's animation business. Disney had its first PG-13 movie and introduced Hannah Montana, High School Musical and the Jonas Brothers that reached out to the tween girl market. They are now looking to introduce Disney XD channel which includes science fiction action-adventure shows to increase their target market to tween boys and sports channels to men.

A market opportunity is an area of buyer need and interest in which there is a high probability that a company can satisfy that need. Disney has an opportunity to expand its target market because the company has a good brand name in the animation world. It is known and trusted worldwide. Also, the animation industry in continuously growing, and Disney is currently the market leader in this industry. In this technologically advanced world, every animation and cartoon is amazing and magical, and it amuses kids, teens and adults. Furthermore, the older generation is also looking for other entertainment channels to fill up their leisure time. Disney, having its own media channel, can easily reach the target customers. Being a worldwide product, Disney can also reach the unattained markets in the regional languages with its existing products. Disney has expanded into the tween girls market by adding chick flicks like Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers. For now,Disney is looking into adding Disney XD channel with science fiction action-adventure shows for tween boys and sports channels for men. One target market that Disney can look into expanding is the 18-25 year old teens. Disney can include drama or action movies like the Dark Knight, The Day The Earth Stood Still and many more, while making it PG-13 so that it is still trustable to the parents.

Disney's cross platform franchising helps create sustainable competitive advantage by owning the characters they create that are successful with different target markets. This Includes Cars and Disney princesses for the younger tweens and children, and their music label artist like Hannah Montana, and Pirates of the Caribbean for an older tween and even adult target market. Therefore they have product differentiation to multiple target markets which enhances Disney as a whole brand by providing what best fits their interest to the specific target markets. Besides that, Disney continues to improve and diversify target markets by creating more channels with different interest like science fiction action-adventure shows or combining with ESPN to make a sports channel owned by Disney.

The Marketing mix for Disney's Cars franchise would include Cars being brought to life in an animation cartoon movie where the quality and entertainment of different characters of cars play a role in appealing to a young children and Tweens market segment. Cars was aired in movie theaters, and they introduced their cartoon car characters as merchandise sold in stores to go along with the movie and promote it. It was originally targeting younger children or tween boys but because of its amusing humor, even adults and teens were attracted. It's product was different and special. Therefore, enlarging its target markets.

Bob Iger's strategic plan was to revitalize the animation business. The major components of his plan was using the SWOT technique. He found out that the strengths of the company was animation so he bought Pixar to enhance it and created more movies using animation and making animals and objects talk. He also saw opportunities in other market segments like tween girls and tween boys, and he created Pirates of the Caribbean, Hannah Montana to target older girls and boys. He now even sees opportunities in combining with ESPN to create a sports channel for older guys. He is very good at expanding his target market by creating differentiated products that interests each segment.

"Disney is currently involved in a multitude of business ventures both in the worlds of media and technology, as well as minor involvements in many other business projects. Disney's growth seems to