What To Take Away from Movie Marketing Switch at Disney Studios

Last week we learned of a shake-up in the marketing department for Walt Disney Pictures. They brought in a Hollywood outsider to take over a struggling department, but ultimately she was too far outside the club to be accepted by it. At least that’s the premise of a column in Forbes this week. (You’ll have to forgive Forbes for using a picture of Walt Disney Studios theme park in Paris instead of the real one in Burbank.)

We learn that M.T. Carney might actually had made some progress in affecting change at the Mouse House:

During her tenure at Disney, Carney reportedly made important upgrades to planning and processes, while also reallocating funds from traditional to new media. By ending this experiment with her, is the company risking the tenuous ties recently forged via its new social and digital strategies?

While I did notice some change, it certainly wasn’t seismic. But I agree that it was a step in the right direction. Disney needs to continue to leverage online fans and to reach the growing number of households who are disconnected from traditional media.

The best part is how measurable and affordable new media is. Alas, if you’ve been watching the SOPA/PIPA debate you realize how scared Hollywood is about new media in general. They believe they’re in a war against it and when you’re fighting an enemy it’s almost impossible to embrace it and integrate it into your business.

We keep hearing that Bob Iger is a different type of CEO. More technologically savvy, if not quite a native himself. Well, I know that there are plenty of Digital Natives in the company today. Iger only needs to ask and they’ll come and help him navigate these waters. Then he can go tell his Movie Studio buds what they can do to change.