Disney fans could be offered an Amazon Prime-style membership programme covering everything from streaming services to deals on theme visit parks and membership, it has been reported.
The Verge website, quoting the Wall Street Journal, reports that the entertainment giant symbolised by cartoon character Mickey Mouse is keen to target customers and get them to engage with more of its huge range of products. The aim, according to industry experts, is to get them to "live Disney".
The programme could offer various exclusive perks, discounts, and other enticements for subscribers to spend more money on Disney products and services. A spin-off benefit would be that Disney could collect more information on customers’ tastes and habits, improving its ability to cross-sell across its various businesses.
The discussion of the membership programme is still in its very early stages. It’s not clear what segments of the audience it would target, how much it would cost, or when it might launch. Some executives in the company have called it Disney Prime, though it will not be launched under that name.
Disney’s chief communications officer Kristina Schake confirmed that the company is looking into a membership programme in a statement to the WSJ. “Technology is giving us new ways to customise and personalise the consumer experience so that we are delivering entertainment, experiences and products that are most relevant to each of our guests,” said Schake. “A membership programme is just one of the exciting ideas that is being explored.”
Disney does already offer a membership programme - the D23 fan club, which costs $99.99 a year for one person or $129.99 for two (the “23” refers to the year of Disney’s founding: 1923). Benefits include exclusive merchandise, a subscription to a quarterly magazine, and discounted tickets to the D23 Expo, the “ultimate Disney fan event.”
The proposed new membership programme, though, would be aimed at more casual fans, it is understood. In a recent earnings call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek referred to the company’s “franchise flywheel” and its ability to “reach people with our uniquely engaging content across an array of touch points”.
The Verve wrote: "In other words: Disney owns a lot of content, from Marvel to Star Wars to Pixar and more; it has a streaming service, theme parks, resorts, and is even building its own residential communities. Why not bundle more of this together and let people really live Disney."
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