Walt Disney Conglomerate essay 5

             There is no denying that Walt Disney?s creations have achieved global fame and developed transnational fan bases. ?Behind the ?happiest place on earth? there is the institutional and ideological power of a multinational conglomerate that wields enormous social and political influence? (Giroux, 1999). But just how far do the virtual borders of the Magic Kingdom reach?

            ?It has been evident that advances in the technological arena have facilitated and accelerated globalization processes? (Mitchell). The Walt Disney conglomerate has not been left out of this loop . There are countless fan related websites devoted to Mickey Mouse and various other classic Walt Disney characters, as well as individual films, theme parks, and Walt Disney himself. Some of these websites offer blogs and chats where fan club members can declare their love for Disney, speculate on upcoming films, or simply socialize virtually with other Disney fans. However, now, instead of sitting back and letting fans around the globe create unofficial fan club websites, Disney has taken charge and created its own official, mobile, social network.

            ?New communicative technologies dissolve distance and transform time, changing the basis on which spatially separated groups can connect and identify with each other? (Gilryoy, 1996), and that is exactly the purpose of Disney?s Wonder Days. In April of this year, Walt Disney Japan made the announcement for the launch of the new mobile, social network which has been described as a combination of Disney and Habbo Hotel (Wireless Watch Japan, 2007). In Wonder Days, much like Habbo Hotel, which is the largest global teen multiplayer game community (Sulake, 2005),  members can create characters or avatars to represent themselves, dress them in Mickey Mouse club ears and costumes of classic Disney characters, as well as popular styles of clothing, virtually explore Disney theme parks, and interact with other members. Also, like Habbo Hotel, Wonder Days seems to be marketed towards a teenaged demographic, with its youthful looking avatars and activities. However, unlike Habbo Hotel, Walt Disney isn?t sacrificing the quality of the graphics of the program. Instead of the ?old school Nintendo? appearance of Habbo Hotel avatars, Wonder Days? graphics are more similar to the quality of a mainstream cartoon. There are no choppy movements with pixilated arms and legs. In Wonder Days, members are playing in a social network with quality, CGI animated versions of themselves.

            While the new program is still currently only available in the Japanese market, Walt Disney will soon expand the program to include its global market.

References

Gilroy, Paul. (1996). ?Route Work: The Black Atlantic and the Politics of Exile.? In The Post-colonial Question:Common Skies, Divided Horizons, edited by I. Chambers and L. Curti. London and New York: Routledge.

Giroux, H. (1999). The mouse that roared: Disney and the end of innocence. Baltimore: Rowman & Littlefield. P. 124

Mitchell, Katharyne (2003). Cultural Geographies of Transnationality. In K. Anderson, Kay. et al. (Eds.), Handbook of Cultural Geography. London: SAGE Publications.

Saluke: Press Room (2005, January 19). Benchmark Capital invests in Sulake, the company behind the leading online teen community and game property Habbo Hotel. Retrieved June 20, 2007 from http://www.sulake.com/pressroom_releases_19012005_1.html

Wireless Watch Japan (2007, April 4). Disney launches mobile social network. Retrieved June 21, 2007 from

            http://wirelesswatch.jp/2007/04/04/disney-launches-mobile-social-network

Posted at 10:40AM Jun 22, 2007 by COX, KATIE in General  |  Comments[4]