Disney Communication Vulnerabilities Essay

Micah, thank you for your discussion board post regarding Disney’s communication vulnerabilities. During my research paper I discovered an excellent quote by Sydney Harris which basically stated that the terms information and communication tend to get used interchangeably but they are not the same; information is focused on getting the message out to people while communication is centered on getting the message through to the audience (“Sydney J. Harris”, n.d.). It was interesting to read in the textbook that businesses have realized that it is more effective to advocate their situation to the right political decision maker than it is to argue with regulations (Argenti, 2013). I also find it fascinating that Eisner met with Governor Wilder and Governor-elect Allen to tell them of his plans and get their support, which they gave. However, just three days prior to a public announcement where the governors were to proclaim their
I don’t believe Disney was thinking of anyone other than themselves and their bottom line when they dreamed up the idea of Disney America. If Disney had arrived in the Northern VA area a few years earlier and began with goodwill efforts, their message may have been better received. There would have been a level of trust developed between Disney and the community. Developing a rapport with the community first, Disney could have announced the theme park on their own terms and not through a newspaper leak. According to Cervone (2014), “effective communication needs to be done creatively if you are to reach a broad audience” (Cervone, 2014, p. 76). Disney is the epitome of creativity, I’m sure they could have found an entertaining way to communicate their message effectively. I can only image what unique storyboard they would have used to introduce their Disney America theme park