ursangnome (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ursangnome) wrote2012-01-08 05:16 pm
ursangnome) wrote2012-01-08 05:16 pm
Haberdashery
It seems to me that Disney (and Universal Studios Orlando, and by extension Marvel and DC comics) are failing to take advantage of a major marketing opportunity.
I'm a fairly practical dude. I'm not into acquiring things for the sake of things - I usually want my things to have some purpose. So, when we went on vacation, I had a mission: find work-appropriate shirts. And I'll be darned if I could! You'd think with the stock of art and artists Disney has on hand, and the number of men of child-raising age walking through those theme parks, there'd be polo and button-down shirts with clever and interesting designs around every corner. I mean, really, how many middle-aged men toting a kid through the Hollywood Studios park wouldn't kill to have a polo shirt in Incredibles-red, with the iconic "I" logo where you normally see an alligator's usually found? But we went through most, if not all, of the shops in the theme parks, and the only designs around were polos with Micky playing golf (not much attraction for non-golfers), and a small Mickey silhouette (usually on horizontal stripes, which only the most fit of men with sense will wear). That's it.
It isn't like Disney doesn't know how to design such things. The uniforms of the cast in various areas are great. While I can see good reason they can't sell the Cast uniforms themselves, they can design other things. Same goes for Marvel and DC comics - they've got office-working fans, and in this day of workplace-casual clothing, stuff other than T-shirts could sell wonderfully. But just try to find them!
I had to go to the NASA Kennedy Space Center gift shop in the airport to get a piece of workplace-casual clothing. They had two designs I wanted to buy, but they only had one of them in my size. Just goes to show that yes, the geniuses *are* over at NASA!
I'm a fairly practical dude. I'm not into acquiring things for the sake of things - I usually want my things to have some purpose. So, when we went on vacation, I had a mission: find work-appropriate shirts. And I'll be darned if I could! You'd think with the stock of art and artists Disney has on hand, and the number of men of child-raising age walking through those theme parks, there'd be polo and button-down shirts with clever and interesting designs around every corner. I mean, really, how many middle-aged men toting a kid through the Hollywood Studios park wouldn't kill to have a polo shirt in Incredibles-red, with the iconic "I" logo where you normally see an alligator's usually found? But we went through most, if not all, of the shops in the theme parks, and the only designs around were polos with Micky playing golf (not much attraction for non-golfers), and a small Mickey silhouette (usually on horizontal stripes, which only the most fit of men with sense will wear). That's it.
It isn't like Disney doesn't know how to design such things. The uniforms of the cast in various areas are great. While I can see good reason they can't sell the Cast uniforms themselves, they can design other things. Same goes for Marvel and DC comics - they've got office-working fans, and in this day of workplace-casual clothing, stuff other than T-shirts could sell wonderfully. But just try to find them!
I had to go to the NASA Kennedy Space Center gift shop in the airport to get a piece of workplace-casual clothing. They had two designs I wanted to buy, but they only had one of them in my size. Just goes to show that yes, the geniuses *are* over at NASA!
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Feel free to put "I am the model height of many major mazes" on your resume.
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Don't worry about it - I'll crouch or promise not to peek over walls, as appropriate. Just cast me as something that tends to fill hallways, and you're good to go :)
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About 10 years ago I was at Disney World and found navy polo shits with a lovely deco-style "Hollywood Tower Hotel Staff" logo embroidered on them. I was amazed that the shirt had nothing else on it to indicate it was related to the Tower of Terror ride - no mouse ears or anything, just a straight-up hotel staff shirt. I nabbed it and still treasure it. When I returned a few years later, they were nowhere to be seen.
It is a strange absence in the merchandising. You'd think that polo shirts with a small, simple logo would be big sellers (I particularly like your idea for a Mr. Incredible shirt).