How a six minute-long “Tangled” short wound up being a big earner for the Disney Store

Jim Hill

13 years ago

In response of yesterday's "Looking back / looking
ahead at Marvel Entertainment's merger with The Walt Disney Company"
story, She Hulk wrote in to say:

In this article, both Jay Rasulo and Jeph Leob use the term "bandwidth" while discussing
what Marvel used to be able to do on its own versus what Marvel can do now that
it's owned by Disney. I've never heard "bandwidth" used in this way
before. Could you perhaps explain what Jay & Jeph were talking about?

Well, in the world of business, "bandwidth" refers
to the resources that are necessary to complete a particular task or project.

And when it comes to The Walt Disney Company, thanks to its
four major business units (i.e. Studio Entertainment, Parks and Resorts,
Consumer Products and Media Networks) the Mouse has the bandwidth to do the sorts of things with
its new films & TV shows that other entertainment companies can just dream about.

I mean, sure. Warner Bros. Animation can produce terrific
new theatrical shorts like 2011's "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat" …

… and 2012's "Daffy's Rhapsody" …

… but let's be honest here. The only people (to date) who
have seen these fun Matthew O'Callaghan films are:

moviegoers who bought tickets to "Happy Feet Two" and "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island"
YouTube patrons who have clicked on the illegal / bootlegged
versions of these CG shorts that are currently available on that site.

Whereas "Tangled Ever After" … The Walt Disney
Company made sure that this six minute-long sequel to 2010's
"Tangled" got off to a strong start earlier this year by tacking this
Nathan Greno & Byron Howard film onto the January 13th release of
"Beauty and the Beast 3D."

Then — from there — to make sure that as many Disney fans
as possible got to see Rapunzel & Flynn Rider's nuptials …

… not to mention the havoc that Pascal & Maximus cause
when they accidentally lose track of the wedding rings in mid-ceremony …

… After "Beauty and the Beast 3D" had ended its
theatrical run, Company officials arranged for "Tangled Ever After"
to air on the Disney Channel on March 23rd, right after "The Princess and The Frog" aired on that cable channel.

Three days later, Disney also made this same CG short became
available for viewing online at the Disney Princess website.

And then — to cap the whole thing off — Disney Stores
nationwide handed out invitations and/or set out e-mails late last month,
inviting their very best customers to come out for a very special event: An in-store celebration
of the wedding of Rapunzel & Flynn Rider.

And this past Saturday, all over North America, little boys
& girls journeyed to their local Disney Store so that they could then — at
10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. — watch "Tangled Ever After"
on the big screen at the very back at that store.

Patrons of the Disney Store at Massachusetts' South Shore Plaza look on as Rapunzel
and her father head down the aisle. Photo by Nancy Stadler

And — of course — once this short was over, these kids
& their parents had to then walk out past the "Tangled Ever
After" display at their local Disney Store …

Photo by Nancy Stadler

… which featured collectible doll versions of Rapunzel &
Flynn Rider in their wedding finery.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

Not to mention a kid-sized recreation of Rapunzel's wedding
dress.

Photo by Nancy Stadler

Or a plush version of Pascal in his ringer bearer outfit.

And from what I hear, Disney Stores nationwide racked up some
really impressive sales of "Tangled Ever after" merchandise this past
Saturday. All because they convinced a bunch of boys & girls to make a
special trip to the mall with their parents to see a six minute-long short that
they'd already probably seen for free online and/or on the Disney Channel.

Only The Walt Disney Company has the ability to do something
like this. Take a short like "Tangled Ever After" and leverage this
production across so many different delivery platforms & distribution
systems (theatrical release, cable, internet et al) so that it can then re-energize
the "Tangled" brand as well as the entire Disney Princess franchise. Which — of course — has a very positive
impact on the bottom line at the Disney Store and/or Disney Consumer Products.

Among the items that were selling strongly on Saturday
were these Disney Animators' Collection Dolls,
which featured a toddler version of Rapunzel.
Photo by Nancy Stadler

This is why the people at Marvel keep talking about Disney's
bandwidth. They've never before been in business with people who are so skilled
when it comes to the art of keeping their library of characters evergreen / out
in the public eye. Which is why people
like Jeff Loeb & Joe Quesada just can't wait 'til Disney does for Iron Man
& Captain America what they just did with Rapunzel & Flynn Rider.

Does that answer your question, She Hulk?