Angela Sutcliffe
January 25, 2011
Intro to College Writing
Beginning in the early 1920’s, Walt Disney along with his brother and equal
partner Roy Disney, used their skills of creativity, imagination and innovation to
create one of the largest corporate empires in the world. Millions of children have
grown up with the famous Disney characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse, along
with the rest of Walt Disney’s classics, such as the films “Snow White”, “The Little
Mermaid” and “The Lion King”. Although these animations are seemingly geared
towards children, the success of The Walt Disney Company is evidence that their
ingenious marketing techniques and strategies have appealed to and captured
the hearts of people of all ages around the globe. maybe rethink and restructure
your thesis to have it fit your paper more. I think it needs to be a little bit stronger
thesis.
In addition to the world-renowned characters and story lines created by
Walt Disney, one of its most infamous commodities are the multiple theme parks
the company operates all around the world. According to Associated Content,
“With an estimated 40 million visitors a year, Disney World is one of the worlds
most popular attractions.” For everyone aspiring to relive their childhood and
enjoy the magic once again, this has been a desirable destination for over 40
years. Not one to rest on their laurels, The Walt Disney Company continues to
use rhetoric to allure more and more tourists each year in to take part in the
unforgettable, magical experience.
One of the most recognizable campaigns Disney is credited with, is the
phrase “I’m going to Disney World!”. These specific advertisements are generally
shot after a monumental event, such as the Super Bowl or American Idol. The
long-standing tradition of the Super Bowl champs reciting this line began in 1987
when New York Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms exclaimed his Disney Vacation
plans following his team’s triumph in Super Bowl XXI. The use of ethos is
employed through the people The Walt Disney Company chooses to cast in
these commercials. Another popular example was when Green Bay Packers’
Quarterback Aaron Rogers was the Super Bowl XLV MVP and as is the tradition,
was the lucky guy to utter the famous post-Super Bowl quote "I'm Going To
Disney World!". It has become a ritual that the reciter of this famous phrase
receives the privilege of being a guest of honor during a parade held at Walt
Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom Park after the featured event. An enthymeme that
appears in these commercials suggests that whoever starring in the
advertisement has just lived through one of the most memorable moments of
their life, and there is no better way to continue the magical moment than to
indulge on an enchanting vacation to the place where dreams come true- Walt
Disney World.
Another commercial that holds familiarity with a lot of the nation is Disney’s
recent series of commercials based on the question "What will your Disney
memory be?". These commercials are typically aired during prime time on family
television networks such as ABC and ABC Family, and through this advertising,
Disney proves through logos, ethos and pathos why families should be booking
their Disney trip now. Disney is especially in-tune with using pathos in their
advertising. The theme for these commercials is certainly no exception. The
advertisements in this series follows real home videos of a specific family's trip to
Disneyland or Disney World. Perhaps the most popular is the Rodriguez family’s
recent experiences in the Disney parks. This particular story demonstrates the
variety of attractions in the park that can be enjoyed by family members of all
ages and the family as a whole. It also leads us to the conclusion that Disney can
serve as a wonderful bonding experience and help you to grow closer as a
family, as exemplified at the end of the clip when the Rodriguez family gathers in
for a group picture in front of the Cinderella castle. At the end of the commercial,
the price of the Disney trip is shown and it is announced that "You can make your
Disney memories now at a price that is right for you." Through the use of logos, it
is presented that it is possible to go "as low as $68 per person, per day" for
certain vacation packages. It sounds appealing to families who have longed to go
to Disney but always imagined the price to be too expensive for their budget. The
part that is easy to over look however is that the price of $68/day, per person is
the absolute bare minimum. If you go in to depth on this vacation package and
research it, you will find that this package only includes your stay at one of
Disney’s value resorts, and theme park admission to one park a day. You should
probably talk about the ethos and logos in the commercial that you chose
because you mentioned in the highlighted section. I really liked how you talked
about the pathos.
There are several factors to be accounted for when planning a trip to Disney
World. The basic price doesn’t even cover the essentials. In the remainder of this
essay I will go into depth about the grueling planning process for a trip such as
this, and the amount of budgeting and heavy consideration that goes into it. In
conclusion, I will discuss that the hardships only make the Disney vacation that
much sweeter when you finally get to experience the magic.
You also could add something about the vacation itself after you explain
how you got to the actual park. This will just make it a full circle and could help
complete the though process of the readers.