Slate piece on Eisner...

[BRERALEX]

does that Kratzenberg guy GET it?

 

[Another Voice]

Walt is dead…

…but his ideas aren’t.

All you need to do is to follow them.

Anyone who says that’s impossible is either lazy or in it just for the money.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

If Disney is broken up then WDW will become a big fat licensing deal.

And that would be different than what we now have – HOW?

The hotels would be run by a series of different companies as would the restaurants.

Now, this one may very well fall the other way. It may be that the WDW “PROPERTY” stays together. Now the DVC is almost sure to go by the wayside, but!! A SMALL PRICE TO PAY!!!

even if you think it is at low tide, it is still together in one piece.

I mean this in all sincerity Scoop. And I must stress, I’m not being flip.

BIG DEAL!!!

Next:

I'd much rather Disney slowly die in one piece than simply exist in different pieces of mediocrity scattered throughout the corporate landscape.

NO, no, no!!!! No slow death!!! Either kill it or let it thrive!!! And I really don’t care about the corporate landscape!! I really only care about WDW!!! I thought you and I were on the same page with this issue. You know, mainly WDW.

And, let's forget whether Disney is or is not still service oriented.

NO!!!! That was the main thrust of your post. You remember, don't you?! That no other company could possibly take over Disney BECAUSE there were no service oriented companies out there!!

Again I say that argument doesn’t make sense as Disney is NOT that sort of company either!!! And now you want to forget it!!! Sorry Scoop, but that deserves a “Whatever” response if anything ever did!!

My question was whether there really is another company which would put the customer first. I just can't think of one.

Try to think of one before Disney. Maybe it’s time to try again. It seemed to work the first time!!!

Nobody or no company is out there which will run Disney like Walt ran Disney. That animal just doesn't exist

GEE!!! That is exactly what people said BEFORE Disneyland!! And you know what? THEY WERE WRONG!!!!!

Go back to the day he died. Then move forward from there.

OK. I will. But only if you “go back to the day he died and move backwards from there.” What do you see? Anybody like Walt out there? No. I didn’t think so!!!!! SO what does you sentence really mean? That Walt was a one of a kind. That only someone like Walt could have started a Disneyland. Only a guy like Walt could have envisioned and built a place like EPCOT. GREAT!!! We agree.

But it doesn’t take a Walt to maintain. It doesn’t take a Walt to run WDW as it should be run. It just takes someone who “GETS IT”. Someone who buys into the philosophy that we all seem to know inherently!! I always say that any of us, even you scoop (although I’m starting to doubt it) could do a better job than Ei$ner. We all (I think) GET IT. He hasn’t got a clue.

And the new company or even a division head may not get it either. In that case I’ll be back here, writing four page posts and using too many exclamation points!!!! (I just hope he has an “S” in his name). But we may get lucky!! We may get someone like AV!!! Or that seafaring Pirate!!! Or that hot rod to hell YoHo!! Just someone who used to go to the park and knows what it can be like. That’s all. No financial whiz. No Wall Street baron (pardon the pun). Just someone who grew up vacationing in Disney and LOVED it!!!! IS THAT REALLY ASKING TOO MUCH!!!!!????

Walt is dead. And so is his Disney.

Yes he is!! And Ei$ner made sure he KILLED (murdered, slaughtered, raped and pillaged) his Disney.

But Jeff K., and others, are alive!! And where there’s life, there’s hope!!!

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

Since Walt has been dead, I have yet to see or read of a single individual who could follow Walt's ideas to their full.

When you say Walt's ideas, what are you talking about?

Walt always appreciated the talent around him. He did not devalue an idea simply because it wasn't his, but he did insist on certain principles being followed in the execution of the ideas.

I've always advocated returning to Walt's principles, not specific ideas. I didn't conclude that Eisner is a poor executive for Disney based on the fact that he failed to build the E.P.C.O.T. Walt would have, I concluded that based on the fact that he failed to follow Walt's principles concerning the quality of his products and their presentation to the public.

It was Walt's core principles that breathed Magic into the diverse projects he undertook and defined Disney Magic for a generation. Eisner turned his back on those principles and fired the talented people who once surrounded him.

It's ironic that you and Tom have started attributing to Walt the very characteristics that Eisner has displayed while dragging the company to unprecedented depths of underperformance. The ornery despot biliously spitting "my way or the highway" is the live guy, not the dead one.

It simply takes more than someone who "gets it" or "understand it".

Now there's the statement that we actually have no proof for. Most of us agree that Disney was able to produce some Magical products after Walt died, particularly under the guidance of Wells and Katzenberg, who most of us agree "got it."

It doesn't matter that The Little Mermaid didn't fall out of Walt's head... it was a good story executed with excellence and quality (basically against Eisner's wishes, I must note) and most people would say it's a piece of Disney Magic. Despite the lack of a Waltian idea, the project was treated with Waltian care, and got Waltian results.

-WFH

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

if someone as skilled and as far up the ladder as Another Voice couldn't make it happen..someone with a history of Disney in their blood...who do we really expect can?

Some one who doesn't have Eisner as a boss. I thought even you had come around to that conclusion, already.

-WFH

 

[Bstanley]

After reading the last several 'impassioned pleas' for understanding I had a Walt Disney 'A-HA!' experience...please excuse me if it has been painfully obvious to everyone else for years

> Walt Disney had NO Fear... <

Walt Disney's ability has been described as creative, innovative, inventive, etc, etc - and all these things are true - but there are lots of creative people.

Walt Disney's style has been described as show-driven, perfectionist, customer-driven - etc, etc, all true again - but again there are lots of people that have those characteristics.

Maybe it was unique that Walt Disney combined all these in a single person? I don't think even that is particularly unique...

What truly seems to have made him unique was simply that no matter what risks, obstacles or opinions were arrayed against him, he just put on a smile, lit a Lucky and did 'it'.

This is perfect 'Strategy' - with respect to 'The Book of Five Rings' - the perfect sword stroke is one for which there is no defense, but leaves you totally exposed if you use it.

Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Disneyland, EPCOT - all these were strokes that totally exposed the company - or would have in the case of EPCOT - but were perfect examples of Walt's 'Strategy'.

Hmmm, this may have been why FW was so good for Disney - anybody that can climb the highest mountains on 6 out of 7 continents obviously has little fear...

The bad news is that there doesn't appear to be another Walt in sight. The good news is that to maintain those parts of Disney Corp that we DISers seem to value the most (Films, Animation, Parks) won't take a Walt, just someone who having been exposed to the results of the 'Strategy' can embrace it and nurture it.

 

[DisneyKidds]

The ornery despot biliously spitting "my way or the highway" is the live guy, not the dead one.

Still in the early stages of the Bob Thomas bio - however, the anecdote regarding the composer who dared to utter disagreement with Walt and was gone by noon......... very much intended to give a taste of what many believe Walt was like. I'm sure that particular anecdote was not put in the preface by accident. It sets the tone and precendent for how I think some of Walts actions are to be viewed.

A few other items of note in the preface that are most likely there to set the stage - Walt's propensity to throw out some of the ideas presented by the people who he surrounded himself with, people who most likely 'got it'. Walt's ability to 'handle' the members of his creative team - he very much knew how to get what HE wanted.

At least those are my early impressions - but I have a lot of reading left to do. But I feel my perceptions were intended to be flavored by these items early on in the book.

As to the whole 'Walt's ideas' topic - Walt was unique in the ideas he came up with and no one has much of an idea what ideas he would have dreamed up - but conventional they would not have been. But non Walt ideas could be carried out with Walt ideals. Of course you know I am of the opinion that some of those ideals would have evolved if Walt had a living hand in WDW.

 

[raidermatt]

DK- Just one point... When reading about Walt, and particularly his management style, its important to keep the timeframes in mind. Yes, in some ways Walt had a "my way or the highway" approach, but that was hardly uncommon at the time. What was uncommon was how he motivated the top talent in the industry.

Yes, he would have to alter his management style in today's environment, but that could be said of just about any great leader from the past.

Scoop- Obviously, I can only speak for myself, but I don't think Disney needs another Walt. And I pretty much agree that if there is another Walt out there, he wouldn't be put in charge of Disney. (and probably wouldn't want to anyway).

But quality, innovation and customer service are NOT dead. It just takes somebody to realize that in Disney's case, those are the things that will make money by the bucket load. It makes the guests happy and gives them lose wallets. Its the definition of a win-win.

 

[Another Voice]

The Demon Walt – that egotistical, foolish, stupid, vain, wasteful, pie-in-the-sky simpleton according to some – create a company that had the public clamoring to give BILLIONS to it for over seventy five years.

Saint Michael – the friend of Wall Street, the Bastion of Business Brilliance, The Sage of Sanity, The Light of Hope and Wonderment – has created parks no one visits, movies no one sees, music no one listens to and TV channels no one tunes to.

Okay, lean close to your computer screen ---

WALL STREET DIDN’T FORCE EISNER TO BUILD DINO-RAMA

The fact that it, DCA, ABC, GO.com and ‘Pearl Harbor’ all lost money is because they were products people don’t want. It has nothing to do with Wall Street forcing garbage down America’s throats. It goes back to one of Walt’s first and important ideas:

GOOD STUFF BRINGS IN MONEY – CR*PPY STUFF DOESN’T

In my line of work I hear the “they made me do it” excuse several times a day. It’s only used by idiots, the incompetent, the scared and the lazy. Dino-Rama was built by sacred people too greedy to work hard for their money and too incompetent to attempt anything good. It had nothing to with Wall Street – it’s just the same attitude that’s given the world ‘Scooby Doo – The Movie’, Worldcom and telemarketers.

Make good things and the rewards will follow. Treat your audience with respect. Trust their judgment. Give them everything you can. Admit mistakes and learn from them. Always remain true to the end goal. Fools are to be treated accordingly. Always try for something more, better, different. Satisfaction comes from the work, not the bank balance. Make an impact.

Those are Walt’s ideas. Seems to me that they can be used by almost anyone at any level.

Just because I found that the current management at Disney is opposed to those ideas because they interfered with their own greed – that doesn’t mean the ideas are outdated or impossible to implement. It just means I apply them to my own business instead of banging my head against the wall in Burbank; it’s my way of making a difference.


By the way – is anyone on Wall Street complaining about DisneySea?

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

I promised someone I wouldn't debate with WFH or DVC in public.

Golly, I can help with that goal. You should have told me sooner.

-WFH

 

[HB2K]

I truly hate that fact. It is a terrible way to commoditize our culture. But, just as Another Voice had a boss named Eisner so too does corporate American have a boss named Wall Street.

Why hasn't Wall Street stopped luxury car companies from cheapening their product?

Disney needs to re-focus on what they do and what "brought them to the dance". It's quality, it's attention to detail, it's perfection.

While they may not hit the mark every time, they need to at least strive to put out quality.

But hey, all of the good Eisner years were an admitted "abberation".

 

[Peter Pirate]

Walt was no saint. (Sorry to burst the bubble of some) But by most accounts he WAS a gruff, grumbly, my way or the highway genius. This doesn't mean he's a demon and for heaven's sake no one lately has called Eisner anything resembling good...geez.

Now Voice you continue to harp on quality being the end all and I want to agree with you, I really do, but you'll have to explain Austin Powers success to me then and for that matter Shrek as well (although I know some of you actually thought this was a good movie)...Many of the recent hit movies aren't, they aren't...Well, they aren't even good much less quality. So what proof is there that in this fast, pop driven, sensationalized society that anyone would ever take the time to notice quality anymore.

Did Lexus make it to the top of the heap because they built a good car or because of the PR? Does America idolize Michael Jordan because he's a good guy or because he's a great basketball player? Neither. Karl Malone was a great basketball player and he's never been idolized...It's all about hype (and I REALLY HATE IT).

Again, please tell me why I should believe the quality cream will rise to the top...

 

[BRERALEX]

Pirate i love your posts but to compare karl malone and THE MAN "THE" BASKETBALL PLAYER.

like disney he made magic. Karl malone was above average at best. ne never made magic happen Mike took the game in his own hands and won the game cause he had to, cause there was nothing else.

i understand your point on hype and i see it in the movies too cause lately going to the movies is hard nothing good except road to perdition has come out in awhie but to use the karl malone jordan example is horrible.

Karl Malone isnt a pr whiz like mike either.

Mike had pippen but malone had stockton and couldnt do anything but be above average. Mike could do anything he wanted to on the court and proved it. defense (defensive player of the year) offense obviously and six rings he's the man.

Hype can even screw up a good movie. they overhype these subpar movies you go in thinking one thing and come out thinking what did i just watch. That happened to me with a beautiufl Mind yeah it was ok but can anyone remember the exciting action packed commercials and the movie was far from anyhting like that. And it wasnt my job to know who Mr. Nash was i was relying on the preview to show what the movie was gonna be about. so i went in with this "hyped " up expectation and came out saying yeah it was good but wheres the movie from the preview?

 

[PKS44]

Originally posted by Peter Pirate
Walt was no saint. (Sorry to burst the bubble of some) But by most accounts he WAS a gruff, grumbly, my way or the highway genius. This doesn't mean he's a demon and for heaven's sake no one lately has called Eisner anything resembling good...geez.

Now Voice you continue to harp on quality being the end all and I want to agree with you, I really do, but you'll have to explain Austin Powers success to me then and for that matter Shrek as well (although I know some of you actually thought this was a good movie)...Many of the recent hit movies aren't, they aren't...Well, they aren't even good much less quality. So what proof is there that in this fast, pop driven, sensationalized society that anyone would ever take the time to notice quality anymore.

Did Lexus make it to the top of the heap because they built a good car or because of the PR? Does America idolize Michael Jordan because he's a good guy or because he's a great basketball player? Neither. Karl Malone was a great basketball player and he's never been idolized...It's all about hype (and I REALLY HATE IT).

Again, please tell me why I should believe the quality cream will rise to the top...

Because that is how business has always worked for long term success. The examples you cited for the most part are short term flashes or are successful from quality...neither Lexus nor Toyota in general would be successful for as long as they have been if they followed the American way of making cars and turned out a crappy product...

Speaking of Japanese companies making a quality product-look at the OLC and their theme parks...you won't hear them whine about how the bad economy has hurt their bottom line, and the Japanese economy is far worse off than ours is and for a much longer period...and yet they have the most visited theme park in the world (Disneyland Tokyo) and DisneySea is an enormous success so far---why? Quality...it doesn't always win but efforts that don't stress quality will always lose in the long run.

Paul

 

[Peter Pirate]

Not meaning to speak basketball as I am no longer much of a fan, but I agree with all you've said about Jordan except for the fact that Bird & Magic were equally comparable and never had such a sociological impact...Plus (and I hope you don't get pissed) Jordan is also a jerk (like most of the overpaid prima donnas & I have a story -if you'd like to hear it PM me). His public personna and reputation as a 'giver' are all very well constructed public relations hype. The biggest difference between Mike & others was simply his sale-ablity otherwise why isn't Gretzky a household name or Lance Armstrong? Is there anyone more worthy of media & public attention & adulation than he?

But at least you agree with my original premise, which I really hope Voice will take the time to explain. Why does he still believe quality can win out?

I see Paul has offered his explanation & I appreciate it, but still the short term is now, no?

 

[raidermatt]

Jordan argueably produced the highest quality basketball ever, AND in the most spectacular fashion ever. Its the combination of two, along with the ability to keep the image clean that made him what he became.

Bird did not have the flash. Magic had plenty of flash and personality, but his biggest strength was passing, which just isn't as popular as the apparent ability to defy gravity. Still, Bird and Magic came along when basketball was in serious trouble, and it could be argued that they brought basketball just as far up the ladder as Mike. They took it from gutter to popular, and Mike jumped from their shoulders.

Maybe that's too much info, but the point is, like Lexus, its the combination of quality and marketing that makes for great success, both long-term and short term.

Marketing that isn't supported by the product will only acheive short term success.

Also, its important to remember that quality does not necessarily have to be "fine art". A slapstick comedy can be made with high quality as well.

 

[raidermatt]

Gosh, folks, some of you all are so very sure that building unparralled quality would make somebody sooo much money, but you cannot point to a single example of this being done is all of the United States except in niche markets. And if you say WDW is a niche market then that's crazy. Disney markets to families. These niche markets generally market to single rich yuppies and such.

Okay, maybe, just maybe, we're getting somewhere. Or maybe it just me going in circles. Hard to tell sometimes.

Anyway, at the risk of being labeled crazy as a loon, I submit that WDW is a niche market. Its a niche market within the overall industries of family entertainment and vacation destinations.

Families have lots of choices for family entertainment and vacations. WDW is one option. Others include Yellowstone, Yosemite, Hawaii, Six Flags, Washington DC, New York, San Francisco, zoos, parks, visiting relatives, the beach, Europe, etc, etc, etc.

The mistake, IMHO, is viewing WDW as a major player in the theme park industry. Its true, but it doesn't explain the popularity or success of WDW. Many WDW visitors are not theme park enthusiasts. Most are not deciding between going to WDW or Six Flags or a Paramount park. They are deciding whether to go to WDW, or go to the Grand Canyon. WDW, or Maui. WDW, or the historic sites on the East Coast.

And when viewed this way, WDW IS a niche. Its a small portion of the vacation dollars spent in this country and around the world. When we follow something as closely as we do WDW, its sometimes easy to lose that perspective. But it is a reality. WDW has found a high end niche in the entertainment/vacation industry. And to keep those high margins, they must deliver what their guests are looking for. For if they don't, they will go elsewhere, as there are plenty of choices.

 

[Another Voice]

Some rapid fire responses:


Success – Hype can only rent success for a little while. Look at all the money that ‘Snow White’ will make for Disney in all its various forms (movies, theme parks, merchandise) this year. Now guess how much money ‘Austin Powers’ will be generating in eighty years. Scoop’s capitalists friends have become good at manufacturing fads, but the public sees right through that. Look at all the “hit but awful” movies this year – a huge opening weekend and then they disappear. And even uber-hyped films can fail if they don’t live up to expectations: 'Star Wars' anyone?

Over time people will weed out the true quality from the bad. The films that are truly good will last and continue to generate money, the films that only live on their hype will die. Go to the video store and see which films still command full price and which ones are on the clearance table. Something tells me it’s real easy to pick up ‘Tomb Raider’ at clearance prices.


Capitalism – Walt may have been a royal pain to work for, but he certainly wasn’t a socialist. And I believe this is the first time I’ve heard Disney’s woes blamed on NAFTA (but I’m sure they’ll throw that one in the next “it’s not our fault” quarterly earnings release). Making entertainment isn’t like making laundry detergent. Applying the woe-is-me Wall Street excuse for cutting quality might work for a while for Tide, but applying it to movies & parks simply guarantees your customers will move on.

Listen to the Director’s commentary on the deluxe ‘Pearl Harbor’. In between bouts of self pity and audience bashing you will hear Michael Bay whining about how much better the movie would have been if they only had more money. Then go listen to the commentary on ‘Memento’. You’ll hear how that director used talent and imagination to make the film. His budget was less than half of the money spent on the premier party for ‘Pearl’ – YET MADE MORE MONEY.

For entertainment companies – talent, skill, effort and imagination are much more important than money. It is an inherently risky business. If you fall into the “Wall Street made me” mentality as a cover for greed – you will fail. The same rules applied to Walt, to Eisner and to whoever comes after. Walt focused on product and succeeded. Eisner focused on money and failed. The Mystery CEO will have a clear choice to follow.


Unparalleled Quality – I’m typing this message on a Dell computer (which emphasized quality and innovative customer service and outlasted Compaq), drinking a Coca-Cola (which has maintained near fascistic quality control standards for over a hundred years and quickly undoes mistakes) after having just bought a ticket through Southwest Airlines.com (a once tiny regional carrier that’s also fanatical about customer service and run so well they weathered 9/11 with barely a ripple) and having come from a screening of a movie about short people and an interesting bit of jewelry (made by a director with an amazing vision and the determining to see it realized so the first one made gobs and gobs of money).

Yep – America has no room for quality these days. I’m so glad Wall Street has been telling us for years about wonderful firms like Enron, Worldcom and Tyco to lead us into the future.

 

[BRERALEX]

HEY I WORK AT nORDSTROMS AND WERE ALL ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SOMETIMES QUALITY !!!

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

having come from a screening of a movie about short people and an interesting bit of jewelry (made by a director with an amazing vision and the determining to see it realized so the first one made gobs and gobs of money).

OK!! SPILL!!! Good? Bad? Or ugly?