On Sept. 22, Disney Parks announced that the following day, they would have a “big announcement” live from New York City. On Facebook, they teased, “We’re unveiling some exciting plans for Disney Parks in less than 24 hours.”
Immediately, the Internet ran wild with speculation on what the big announcement would entail – a new country in Epcot’s World Showcase, which had been rumored for some time? A new DVC resort? New attractions for both Disneyland and Disney World? Or, maybe even a whole new theme park?
On Thursday, Sept. 23, Disney Parks streamed its big announcement live, which turned out to be the 2011 marketing campaign for Disney Parks, “Let the Memories Begin”.
Many lauded Disney Parks for this innovative, emotional campaign utilizing social media and guest-generated photos, videos and stories — here’s more on the campaign from the official Disney Parks blog.
The chance to share your memories with the world or your fellow park guests is exciting for many, and the emotion conveyed with guest-generated content is genuine, not manufactured. See the video below for a taste of what the 2011 campaign will be like.
So while the 2011 Disney Parks “Let the Memories Begin” campaign will be sure to tug at our heartstrings, many expressed disappointment for the way Disney Parks handled the announcement, or about the campaign itself.
Many were expecting much more with the way that Disney Parks teased the announcement beforehand. The DVC Life pointed out that if Disney Parks had said, “We will be announcing our 2011 campaign,” that overall, the reception would have been much more positive from Disney fans.
Others expressed boredom with the charts and graphs presented by Orlando-based marketing firm Ypartnership at the beginning of the announcement. While the results of Ypartneship’s travel study are interesting and relevant in today’s economy, many lost interest from the start. And some were turned off by the choice of host Tom Bergeron, who cracked a few off-color jokes during the broadcast.
Both The DVC Life and It’s A Disney World After All thought that the campaign seems to be geared toward the traditional family. What about singles, divorced families, couples without children, or large groups of friends traveling together? How will they be included in this campaign?
The Disney Blog took an in-depth look at the new campaign, listing both its pros and cons. It was also pointed out that there was no mention of the Magic Kingdom’s 40th anniversary, which many had expected.
The Disney Chick doesn’t like the “Let the Memories Begin” campaign at all, expressing concern about privacy, and whether strangers will be interested in other strangers’ photos during the nighttime shows.
So then, with the campaign’s mixed reception from Disney fans, what are your thoughts about “Let the Memories Begin?” Will you happily share your photos, videos and stories? Or do you have reservations about sharing with the world? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
