The Woke Disney Company

As a former Walt Disney Company executive, current stockholder, and before that a Disney artist and writer, I have naturally been interested in the company's growth and the creative direction it has taken throughout the years since I left.

As a young animator and later storyman and publication creative director VP I was trained to honor Disney traditions and character integrity. In my time with the company I knew, we all knew, who our audience was and what they expected out of us.

There was so much that made Walt Disney Studios great. Yes, the creativity and characters and storytelling were vitally important. But so was the family-friendly values, ethics, morals and patriotism that unabashedly radiated from all things Disney. The studio never pushed any agenda or political philosophy but you knew that honoring American traditions was endemic to its core. Disney was more than a movie studio, theme park, and charming characters. It was magic. Oh, and one other thing. People could rely on Disney; they could trust their children to it.

The path that this wonderful company has taken in recent years has troubled me, to say the least. The changes didn't happen overnight. Actually it was a gradual Leftist shift which began decades ago. But recently the agenda has been sped up, literally turning the company inside out. It's integrity and traditions have been purposely erased or modified. I've watched the Disney Company morph into something Walt, Roy, and the original creative team would have despised.

I've been writing about this in my column for years, and in my own small way have tried to warn the ones calling the shots at the company that they've been going wrong, so very wrong. Many other Disney devotees have spoken out as well, but nothing changed. As Disney continued to push their "woke" mindset, the movies tanked, attendance at theme parks fell, and stock value has plummeted.

But nothing altered management's Leftist push. The company never even acknowledged that they may have alienated their core audience with their political messaging (which they certainly did). But things have started to change now.

The Walt Disney Company has recently admitted that they became "too woke" in the words of Will Hild, executive director of Consumer Research. Hild has said that this admission from the company will send ripple effects throughout all of corporate America.

HIld explained that the Security and exchange Commission (SEC) requires disclosures from publicly traded companies, which are referred to as 10-K forms. The form is intended to disclose both the company's financial records and reveal any ongoing issues that may impact shareholders, but Disney's 10-K stunned observers.Ê

"Disney just admitted in their recent 10-K that they have become disconnected from their consumers' viewing desires and habits. And they specifically noted some of the cultural distinctions between the movies that they've been making, including all this woke imagery, woke themes, and woke politics and their consumers who seem to be tired of all this and are no longer going to see their movies that are increasingly bombs at the box office," Hild said.

Here is exactly what the Disney brass said in their 10K. "We face risks relating to misalignment with public and consumer tastes and preferences for entertainment, travel and consumer products, which impact demand for our entertainment offerings and products and the profitability of any of our businesses."

It went on to say, "Further, consumers' perceptions of our position on matters of public interest, including our efforts to achieve certain of our environmental and social goals, often differ widely and present risks to our reputation and brands." Then Disney added that "the success of our businesses depends on our ability to consistently create compelling content" and "our revenues and profitability are adversely impacted when our entertainment offerings and products, as well as our methods to make our offerings and products available to consumers, do not achieve sufficient consumer acceptance."

So they have finally admitted that they are not in line with their core audience and consumer base. But admitting and changing are two different things. Hild thinks this admission may be linked to Disney's ongoing legal battle with Florida. But he maintains that the mere fact that Disney owned up to it might have ramifications throughout corporate America, especially smaller companies.

Will The Walt Disney Company get back to what they know best; childhood innocence, wholesome fun and entertainment devoid of political posturing and woke messaging? Time will tell.

If they do, I guarantee consumers, parents, movie-lovers, and stock holders will cheer.

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