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. One of the best used marketing
techniques by Disney, is the use of an enthymeme at an event to create and
promote “events”.
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 his or her 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 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 World’s 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. The basic price doesn’t even cover the essentials
such as food, transportation and the extra costs of souvenirs. Disney only offers
you with a deal including prices of things they have control over. The rest of
planning the “Magic Your Way” is up to you. There are several factors to be
accounted for when planning a trip to Disney World, but with the use of rhetorical
tools, Disney is not just selling a product any more; lifestyle has been turned into
a commodity. People buy lifestyles- not products and services. Lifestyle
marketing positions brands to complement their consumer’s interests, needs, and
values. This manipulates them into believing that a trip to Disney is one of life’s
necessities. Walt Disney has put such a stamp on American tradition, making it
seem almost essential to take your family to this destination. With the branching
out of theme parks into other countries as well, there is no stopping Disney’s
domination over people’s views of a proper lifestyle. Disney constantly promotes
itself, never pausing. The company’s persistence is why Walt Disney World is
one of the first places to come to mind when considering taking your family on a
vacation.
Paradoxically, when the trip to Disney has been paid for and arrangements
are made, the persuasion doesn’t stop there. Once you get into the parks, you
are surrounded by more promotions. At the end of all of the attractions is a
themed store with merchandise pertaining to that specific attraction, and plenty of
opportunities are provided to extend your stay, book another, upgrade your ticket
and visit many of their restaurants and resorts, not to mention the numerous
amount of gift shops that can be found in every resort, restaurant and the booths
throughout all of the amusement parks. The company has even founded it’s own
city near the Walt Disney World Resort, by the name of Celebration, Florida. The
town of Celebration uses the phrase “Live, Work, Play” to entice people to
become residents. Their sense of community and familiarity comes from the
ethos of the credible, friendly atmosphere of Walt Disney World. Essentially,
Disney is using its own artistic proofs to serve as a method of persuasion for their
own agenda. This strategy is an incredibly brilliant way of promoting themselves.
Walt Disney World’s use of rhetorical tools in their advertisements, create
appealing products to people all around the world. The planning process that
accompanies a trip such as a visit to Walt Disney World is grueling, and there is
a considerable amount of budgeting and heavy consideration that goes into it.
The hardships, however only make the Disney vacation that much sweeter when
you finally get to experience the magic.
Works Cited
- The Best Times of Year to visit Walt Disney World. Associated Content.
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-best-times-year-visit-walt-disney-world-472994.html
- What Walt Disney World Means by “Magic Your Way.
http://land.allears.net/blogs/mikescopa/2008/11/what_walt_disney_world_mean
s_b.html
- Celebration, Florida http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebration,_Florida