Communications and Media

Mickey Mouse and Walter Elias Disney (Walt Disney) are equally famous and inseparable figures one being the worlds most famous animated character and the other being the man behind this animation. Mickey first appeared as a new actor at the New York based Colony Theatre in 1928 and through the movie Steamboat Willie, he became the first cartoon that was ever created with sound. The mouses physical appearance was rather striking and according to Smoodin, He had ears bigger than Clark Gables, legs like rubber hose, a grin wider than Joe E. Browns and a heart of gold (48). Beginning from that first theatre night, Mickey Mouse and the man behind his creation both became icons of fun worldwide and they have never lost this grip ever since. The movie was hailed as inventive and sensational by the New York Times and Weekly Film Review respectively. From this time henceforth, Mickey was to stand out as the most significant mouse in history. Through Mickeys creation and sudden popularity, animation began to be developed as a new art and became a tool for exploration into the animal world as well distant people, their geography and adventures. Over the years, Mickey has remarkably moved from one level of success to another and in the process carried the name of Walt Disney to different parts of the world (Smoodin 48). The Disney Companys logo has become recognized in every nation in the world and as Levine states, It was once estimated that Mickey Mouse was the most recognized figure anywhere on Earth, more than the president of the United States, more than Tom Cruise, actually more than Santa Claus (who is famous in only about one-third of the worlds countries (23).

Different names have been used to refer to Mickey mouse depending on the geographical location and popular language. In Mexico, Mickey is known as Raton in Italy he is Topolino Mickey Maus in Germany and Mik-Kii Ma-u-su in Japan to name just a few of the scores of nations where Mickey has been received with much love and admiration. Mickey is a multi-talented fellow and has appeared in different characters ranging from fire chief and magician to great lover and farmer. He has been in the world of astronomy directing comets and planets along their paths and has defied gravity, space and time to always push his way towards success. During WWII, Mickey Mouse found his way into battles as the symbol on hundreds of war planes and ships and his name was also used to label diagrams that described convoy movements directed towards Normandys D-day beaches. Thailands King Bhumiphol is said to have honored Walt Disney with a medal and admitted that he had, as a young child, grown up on Disneys cartoons. American President Franklin Roosevelt made demands to have Mickey in the White House and Britains Queen Mary enjoyed finding Mickey Mouse on the bill every time she made a visit to the movies. By the year 1998, Mickey had been featured in books and comic strips in fifteen different languages. A year later, Disney had become Americas mythmaker, national-babysitter as well as the nations re-creator of history.  This animal character had also become a television star and subsequently led to the founding of the Disneyland Magic Kingdom (Smoodin 48 Watts 219). In the following decades, Disney moved beyond American boarders to exert a dominant influence in both America and abroad on such diverse themes as child rearing, technology, animals and commodities. Over the years, Mickey the mouse and Walt Disney, the man behind this animation have no doubt created a very lasting impact on humankind.

Disneys first corporate success came about in 1931 and out of the twenty-five cartoons that the company produced each year, about half of them appeared under the Mickey Mouse banner. By 1932, Mickey had somehow become a star of the toy department when he was assembled as a large supporting mold for other toys and dolls. At the Kresges Christmas festivities in December of the same year, Mickey Mouse acted as the master of ceremonies for a show held in the Mickey Mouse Barn and also passed out several presents to participants. He also introduced Santa and Mrs. Claus who visited the show in the Mickey Mouse department of the toy section. Yet, even if Mickey had become a sensational very soon after his appearance, the toy business during this time was very seasonal and sales were quite low for most of the year until about one month before Christmas. To develop Mickey, the toy industry in conjunction with Disney made several efforts to organize other events during the year that would help market their toys. Such events were mainly the Childrens Day that was held in June and Mickeys birthday held in the month of October. Stores were encouraged to arrange for these birthday parties as well as to cooperate with movie theatres within their localities in such way that the stores would offer to decorate theatre lobbies with displays of Mickey Mouse toys. In due process, the theatre industry became an extension of these stores.

Right from the word go, Mickey Mouse had become an object of widespread economic activities ranging from entertainment to entrepreneurship. Through the activities of the department stores, Mickey Mouse films enjoyed tremendous advertisement while theatre activities in turn advertised various department stores and popularized Mickey Mouse toys. These toys were supplied by Disney and affiliate companies or by individual department stores and through this scheme stores formed a network of Mickey Mouse Clubs (Watts 153 Smoodin 208). These clubs organized various activities for children such as drama and dance, local music festivities and various other stage shows organized for the display of children talents. With time, these clubs had received Disneys full permission to use Mickeys image in newspaper advertisements and on their store windows. During club activities, a few lucky children would be given the latest Mickey Mouse toys. When other children in attendance desired these toys, they would certainly return to the stores and buy their own. These clubs would also liaise with theatre management for discounted tickets as a way of drawing young moviegoers to the industry. Between 1930 and 1932, membership in these Mickey Mouse Clubs had spread throughout the U.S and numbers had risen to a staggering 1 million members. By the 1950s, the Mickey Mouse Clubs and their variety of activities had reached an exceptional level of business consolidation. Through the clubs, Mickey Mouse toys, hats and scores of other childrens products were all over the market. These clubs enjoyed co-corporate sponsorship from such companies as Coca-Cola Bottling Co., the Wharton, Texasunit, R.B System, Peoples Cotton Oil Company and F.I Moore among others. Disney and Mickey were growing together not only in fame but in business as well. Clever merchandising moves had led to the growth of a Disney enterprise.

In the early 1930s, Universal Pictures introduced Disney to the world of commercial promotion and Mickey Mouse was licensed to various companies for commercial use. Scores of manufacturers began promoting their goods through Mickey Mouse and within the duration of three years since this famous cartoon appeared on the public scene Mickey Mouse had become a common feature in dolls, childrens clothes, linen, soap, jewelry, all types of toys and earthenware among other products. By mid-1930s, Mickey reigned top among other Disney characters that had been licensed to about seventy-five manufacturers with their operations in the U.S. Also licensed to Mickey were forty-five companies in Britain, twenty in Canada, as well as six in both Portugal and Spain respectively. Within a very short time, Mickey Mouse and Disney had gone abroad. For all the sales made between mid-1933 and mid-1934, the fast growing Disney Company was receiving 2.5-10  in commissions.

Some of Mickeys popular affiliates included Hickok Manufacturing, RCA Victor, International Silver Company, Emerson Radio Corporation, General Foods and National Dairy Products. By 1937, Mickey Mouse had become the hottest item in Americas merchandising sector with over four hundred items displaying the Disney trademark. By 1947, these figures had skyrocketed and through Mickeys influence, the Disney name was making annual sales to the tune of  100 million worth of goods. Out of these, the Disney Studio took home between  500,000 and  800,000. Indeed the Disney name had become so influential that it helped some companies threatened by bankruptcy to regain their foothold in business. As Watts states, such titles as  Mickey Mouse Goes into Business, Mickey Mouse and the Bankers and Mickey Mouse Salesman articles uniformly praised the business acumen of the Disney operation in terms of salesmanship, clever merchandising, and market maneuvering (153).  A Mickey Mouse watch manufactured by Ingersol-Waterburry in the mid-1930s sold out so tremendously that within a short time, the company had recovered from serious financial constraints and its economic future was now secured. Other companies saved from bankruptcy by Mickey Mouse included the Lionel Corporation which was licensed by the Disney Company to make an electric-train toy with Mickey Mouse and his female counterpart Minnie pumping the trains handle. The toy sold out tremendously.

In film and television Mickey Mouse was equally creating an awesome impact. By the time Treasure Island was released in 1950, Mickey led other animated features such as Minnie and Donald Duck in representing the Disney Company in live-action films. These films which were first produced in England earned the company a considerable amount of income. Between 1950 and 1961, the Disney Studio had supplemented about twenty-four live action features. Together with NBC, Disney produced Walt Disneys World of Color in 1961 and together with such other films as Snow White and Pinocchio, Mickeys name was rapidly establishing itself in the film industry.  Mickey then plunged into the world of television production through NBCs One Hour in Wonderland which was sponsored by the Coca-Cola Co., at a remarkable cost of  125,000. It was a high season for Mickey in Television and he appeared in such other shows as Song of the South and Bambi. One year down the line, Johnson and Johnson joined the club of Disney sponsors by financing the production of The Walt Disney Christmas Show at an even more remarkable cost of  250,000 (Watts 215-219, 286, 346-347). Half-way into the 1950s, the broad and kindly face of Mickey Mouse with his twinkling eyes, combed-back hair and pencil mustache had also become a common feature in American popular journalism. Within a period of two years between late 1953 and mid 1955, Mickey Mouse represented Disney on the covers of such popular and well-established magazines as Newsweek, Time, Look, TV Guide and Saturday Evening Post. In this era of Cold War, Disney had become some sort of screen for the projection of Americas self-definition amid the growing resentment of her enemies like Russia who denounced Mickey as a warmonger and prevented the viewing of Disney productions within its territories. Yet, such defamation did not affect Mickeys fame and he continued to reign as Disneys most popular symbol.

Nothing would have popularized Mickey and promoted Disneys zeal in entertainment than the companys venture into the world of tourism. Since 1955 when Walt Disney bought a 160-acre plot in Anaheim where he constructed Disneyland, an amusement park that opened its doors in the summer of 1955 amid much fanfare, the Disney company has embarked in the establishment of Disney Theme Parks not only in the U.S but also in other parts of the world such as Europe and Japan. Over the years, these theme parks have risen to the top to become the worlds most popular tourist destinations attracting an estimated 60 million people every year. Besides the Disneyland amusement park in Orange County, California Disney also established the Walt Disney World Complex in Orlando, Florida in 1971, Tokyo Disneyland in 1983 and the EuroDisney Park in Paris, France which opened its doors in 1992. Disneyland offers a variety of attractions situated in a clean, safe and orderly environment. Several themes used in the creation of Disneyland as well as the imposing image of Mickey have contributed to its striking success in the amusement industry. For the original Disneyland, Walt created such themes as Adventureland, Frontierland and Tomorrowland all of which have created an interesting aura around Disneyland.

Through the establishment of amusement parks, Mickey Mouse and his creator Walt Disney have made tremendous contributions to the worlds of amusement and tourism that have transformed such places as the southern town of Orlando into a great tourist destination. Since the Walt Disney World was opened in this town back in 1971, life in Orlando has taken a completely new direction. Orlando has gradually evolved to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and each year, approximately 48 million people visit this city from other parts of the world to witness its famous, diverse and unique activities as well as have an experience with Mickey in his homeland. As Miller states, Those of us who continue to return year after year can count on each new visit to provide a host of new experiences and magical memories (5). Fashioned after Californias Disneyland, Orlandos Walt Disney World remains the most spectacular theme park in the world today and exposes Mickey to more visitors than any other place in the world. Over 95 attractions make Walt Disney World such an attraction that visitors keep going back (Miller 5, 85). The arrival of Mickey Mouse in Orlando completely changed the general appearance of the city as well as its peoples lifestyle. A variety of fast-food joints and five-star restaurants invaded the town and the city is now renowned for its more than 5000 types of dining options although the main chain and theme restaurants have given it more international recognition. All these developments have come up in response to the huge number of families who flock into the city to see Mickey Mouse. Through Mickey and Disney, Orlando has become the undisputed American king of restaurants and family destinations.

In general, Mickey and Disneyland have not only benefited from booming business in Orlando but have also contributed to the growth of the city and its environs. Ever since Mickey Mouse created glamour by escorting the first visitor to the Magic Kingdom in 1971 with scores of celebrities gracing the opening ceremonies, Walt Disney World has over the years continued to enjoy a unique level of success in its operations and subsequent expansion. During the first two years, this exemplary attraction created jobs for 13,000 people and attracted 20 million visitors into Orlando. According to Miller, The sleepy citrus-growing town of Orlando had become the Action Center of Florida and the fastest-growing city in the State (385). Every ear, Walt Disneyland sells out such a huge number of Mickey Mouse Disney T-shirts that they could cover the chest of every person living in Chicago. Out of the more than 500,000 character watches sold every year, majority are Mickeys. Kodak has also estimated that approximately 4 of all amateur photographs taken in the U.S are taken in this famous amusement park. Although Disney has encountered growing competition from its main competitor the Universal Orlando, Mickey has since 1999, continued to ride high above other popular symbols to make Disney the King in the world of theme parks (Miller 252, 256, 385). By the early 1990s, approximately 70 of the American population had made a visit to one or both of Disneys vacation spots in the U.S. In 1998 the 600,000,000th visitor stepped into Walt Disney World making the park the most popular entertainment center worldwide. Disney had attracted a universal kind of love and according to Jones  Wills, Mickey had become so popular that Dying children made it the last wish to see Mickey Mouse in his home Park (107).

Tokyos Disneyland was the first of its kind built outside the U.S and resembles California Disneyland. Opening its doors on August 13, 1983, the 1.4 billion park owned by the Oriental Land Corporation hosted so many visitors that it broke the original one day record that the company had anticipated. Disney Company designed this park and benefits from a 45-year management agreement. A licensing agreement enables it to collect royalties on its profits. The Tokyo DisneySea which neighbors the park opened its doors in 2001 and features a number of islands and seas. Tokyo Disneyland has recorded smashing success (Browne 236). Yet the sailing has not been smooth all the way for Disney. When for example the company expressed interest in establishing a Disney project in France in the early 1980s, a lot of mixed reactions began to pour in from the rest of the world. A very ambitious project, the theme park covered approximately one hundred acres of prime agricultural land on the east side of Paris. The French government supported this project and from the very initial stages, EuroDisney was a real state matter. Disney used the promise of job creation as bait to gain the French consent besides threatening to shift the investment to Spain if its demands were not met. Disneys demands were not only met, but the company also enjoyed some special favors from the French government such as tax breaks, handouts and grants. This type of government involvement however attracted a lot of criticism from various opponents such as environmentalists and political groups. An unpleasant background had been created for Disney in France and even after EuroDisney opened in 1992, the fear of American invasion of French culture was enormous. Workers were discontented with unfavorable working conditions and low pay and strikes and protests were very common. Turn-out was low since the initial stages but gradually rose to about 12.5 million visitors by the year 1998. Disneyland in Paris has been a source of great controversy and a fierce battle of words has been fought over the issue. Several demonstrations have been organized by the communists and their supporters to defame American culture and yet, the French remain the best consumers of Disney products after the U.S.A. Disney products have attracted a rare kind of omnipresence in Paris and the variety of Disney products on the French market has been one cause of fear that the French could be getting Americanized.

The expansion of Disneys amusement parks has been a source of growing concern for environmentalists. Modern machinery and rollercoasters have replaced the foliage and trees in the parks and artificial nature has become the main theme in these parks. As a result most of the resident flora and fauna has subsequently been uprooted. The major items in such parks are robots and cartoon figures which are used to bombard the visitors with fantasy and escapism. Natural forces in these parks are so artificially controlled that agency and independence are finally lost. Animals features are not real and are simply human beings who appear in animal costumes that they will shed at meal time. Disney has drastically reduced nature to mere plastics and has become its premier artist. In other parts of the world like Tokyo ad Paris, Disney is no longer an icon of American culture and a lot of exotic influence has taken place in the theme parks. Walt Disney Corporation is simply riding on the wings of its own economic success in the name of Americanization. Disney has also faced opposition at home a good example being its 1993 proposal to build a history-based theme park on American soil. Many people especially the Natives did not embrace the idea and due to growing criticism, Disneys America was finally abandoned. Yet, these hitches have done little to affect the massive expansion of the Disney empire.

Disneys growth has been exemplary, giving it a striking presence both at home and abroad. The company continues to offer a variety of products to its clients ranging from television programs and movies which are produced under the Walt Disney Company name as well as various types of entertainment which are produced under the Hollywood and Touchstone Pictures banners. Disney owns the television network ABC and the Disney Channel and ABC Family through which cable TV programming is availed to various clients. The conglomerate also owns real estate, publishing and video distribution companies, retail stores as well as ESPN. Most famous of all its business investments are the theme parks that Disney has established in Florida, California, Paris and Tokyo. The Disney logos have become popular features on various recordings, respected fashion designs, furniture, timepieces, electronics, as well as the famous souvenir Mickeys ears among other products. In the world of corporate labels, the Mickey ears have wielded an immeasurable kind of power to become a worldwide phenomenon that has continued to rise with no rival. Even the Coca-Cola bottle has not been able to catch up with Disneys Mickey Mouse. The mere sight of this pair of ears speaks for Walt Disney and no message is necessary to introduce the company.

Conclusion
Since the Walt Disney Company ventured into the world of entertainment as a cartoon company in the early decades of the 20th Century, it has gradually evolved into a major corporation that is devoted to the provision of quality entertainment as well as a world of magic for entire families. Walt Disney has created an entertainment empire that has impressed many people in the world. The talking mouse, Mickey has especially contributed to this fame and growing popularity since appearing as an animated character in the Disney Studio in the 1920s. Mickey Mouse has since become the most famous carton character in history and continues to ride high on the wings of Disney fame. Despite the wide range of business investments that Disney has ventured into, the company has become one of the most famous and successful conglomerates in the world today and has consistently maintained its customers since it began its operations. Through high quality production, a high dedication to the family as well as zealous customer service, Disney has outdone others in the same field to remain on the top.