Drew McLellan: http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/
McLellan discusses something that Walt Disney never forgot to do when it came to marketing, and that is “wooing and winning someone’s heart”. I have experienced this personally during my trips to Disneyland, and I can definitely say that this is a very powerful tool.
The moment one steps through the gates to Disneyland, there is a magical, welcoming ambience, which is created not only by the vibrant, colourful appearance of the park, but more importantly, by the behaviour of the “cast members”, as the park employees are called. A visitor is referred to as a “guest”, and he or she is treated no less than a guest in their kingdom. All cast members are extremely friendly and helpful; every one of them is trained to provide the highest quality customer service.
Walt Disney paid great attention to detail, and his values have been kept alive to this day. Every aspect of the park is paid great attention: streets are kept squeaky clean, landscaping is maintained to the finest details, and certain fixtures are repainted nightly in order to keep everything looking absolutely perfect. Even outside the gates, McLellan discusses that the street signs are purple in colour, and the arrows are surrounded by Mickey Mouse ears. Before guests even enter Disney parks, they know that something truly special awaits them. When guests are surrounded by such a work of art, it is extremely hard not to fall in love with the place.
Over the years, Disney parks have evolved from the family-friendly experience to something much, much more. The size of their target market has increased with time. The parks now offer an adventure for people of all ages, with new bigger attractions and captivating shows. World of Color, a brilliant display of colourful fountains, lasers, fog, and fire, was launched in June 2010. This was an enormous success with people of all ages, and remains one of the best night-time displays at Disneyland.
Disneyland has truly won my heart, and I always dream of going back there again and again.
Photo Credits:
World of Color & Mickey’s Fun Wheel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Color
Disneyland Park
Main Street, U.S.A.
http://www.hkdlsource.com/park/mainstreet/
Mark Twain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MarkTwainRiverboat50th.jpg
Columbia