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Maggie Shiels

Steve Jobs and Tinker Bell

  • Maggie Shiels
  • 13 Oct 09, 09:23 GMT

A more unlikely pairing you could never imagine, but the has been sprinkling a little fairy dust over the Disney empire.

disney storeDisney turned to the man whose firm is known for its design aesthetic because it wanted to overhaul its shops and turn them into the ultimate shopping experience, the way Mr Jobs has done with Apple's outlets.

Jim Fielding, the president of Disney Stores worldwide told the NYT:

"The world does not need another place to sell Disney merchandise - this only works if it's an experience".

The top-to-toe refurbishment will cover 340 shops throughout Europe and America - and some new stores, including a flagship outlet at New York's Times Square.

The idea is to give the Disney retail arm a high-tech makeover to "make children clamour to visit the stores and stay longer, perhaps bolstering sales as a result." There is no "perhaps" about it.

apple storeSo where, you may ask, does Mr Jobs come in?

Well, as a member of the Disney board and a shareholder, he encouraged the Disney management to let their imagination fly.

As a result, Disney is to adopt Apple touches like mobile checkouts and allowing customers to choose film clips to watch or to take part in karaoke contests or live chat with Disney Channel stars via satellite. (Yes, I know there are no karaoke events in Apple stores... but you never know.)

High-tech tricks include walking by a "magic mirror" where Cinderella might appear and speak or the whole store might be made to smell like a Christmas tree if a clip from Disney's A Christmas Carol is playing.

Disney told the paper that it has been working on a full-scale, fully-stocked shop inside a secret location in Glendale, California to shape an overall philosophy and work out any kinks. That was on the advice of Mr Jobs.

While some may consider its shops tired and old-fashioned, Disney is still a retail titan. Its licensed consumer products pulled in $30bn (Β£19bn) in global sales last year.

And that Tinker Bell connection? Well, a section of the store will be called WWTD: What Would Tinker Bell Do?

, "it's sort of a Genius Bar except, um, with fairies."

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    TECHNOLOGY BLOG!!

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)

  • Comment number 2.

    Sounds like a good idea to get takings up, although I found that the offical disney stores are expensive compared to other places (for the genuine product, not the knock-off fakes).

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)

  • Comment number 3.

    So where, you may ask, does Mr Jobs come in?

    Well, as a member of the Disney board and a shareholder

    Forgot to say he is the largest Shareholder in the Disney company after his company Pixar merged with Disney....

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)

  • Comment number 4.

    I thought this was a technology blog? How are you getting away with this PR stuff?

    Of course, my comment pointing out that you are not posting tech stories but business stories almost entirely connected to Apple and Steve Jobs will be removed as "off topic". Oh, the irony........

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)

  • Comment number 5.

    I wonder if Tinkerbell can magic back the lost data from those with Guest account enabled Snow Leopard machines? :)

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)

  • Comment number 6.

    They'll go well together - both sell overpriced products made in Chinese sweatshops and like to sick the lawyers on their customers and fans at every chance possible.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)

  • Comment number 7.

    'I wonder if Tinkerbell can magic back the lost data from those with Guest account enabled Snow Leopard machines? :)'

    I didn't hear about that Mark, sounds like a tech story.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)

  • Comment number 8.

    I don't know why you'd want to take on the advice about mobile tills. They're the most stupid idea apple has ever had (and that's saying something). I know apple like to break the mould sometimes, but this is a highly frustrating way of doing it.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)

  • Comment number 9.

    More interestingly though, is the company who makes the tills for Tescos....

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)

  • Comment number 10.

    -Sigh-

    When will the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ advise Ms Shiels that she should put an emphasis on technology in her dot life technology blogs?!

    Rory seems to be able to do so, he's posted a good blog about the sidekick data loss issue.

    Could't Maggie at least make an attempt at a blog about the user account issues that are apparently present in Snow Leopard, or would that be too technology based?

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)

  • Comment number 11.

    Unlike the majority of people, that story was interesting for me. Keep up these posts as well please!

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)

  • Comment number 12.

    This blog entry should be in a business blog. This impacts technology in a very minor way. At most we may have some developments in PoS systems. But in general, the layout and aesthetics of Disney stores aren't really important IT issues that requires a blog post on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ. There is plenty of significant current technology events that are happening as we speak!

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 12)

  • Comment number 13.

    woops, I seem to be on the apple.com PR micro site again

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 13)

  • Comment number 14.

    Hmm, what ever next, a blog about Bill Gates redecorating his bathroom. It involves Bill Gates so it must fit into the technology blog.


    Technology not personality.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 14)

  • Comment number 15.

    Perhaps they should rename this the Apple/Twitter blog! I can't believe my license fee is paying for this rubbish.

    Complain about this comment (Comment number 15)

 

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