Disney and the RefugeesSean Nasi

Why Refugees? (2)

• Refugees have suffered oppression and live in fear under oppressive authorities

• Many refugees, even after rescue, still find themselves in dangerous and economically deprived parts of the world

• Dangers of refugee camps include:• Increased risk of disease• Child soldier recruitment• Terrorist recruitment• Physical and sexual violence

• Aiding refugees would align with many of Disney’s CSR goals

Disney’s Goals (1)

• Some of Disney’s goals for community engagement and corporate social responsibility are:• Make a positive change in the community and encourage

happiness for children and families• Partner with various organizations to support creativity and

imagination• Make a lasting impact on the environment• Promote healthy familial bonds and inspire kids to spend more

time outside• Sponsor volunteers to make a difference in communities• Use a wide range of assets and influence to assist those in need• Use the power of entertainment to endorse a positive change in

the world

UNHCR (2)

• UNHCR is a program set up by the United Nations in 1950 designed to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems around the world

• Some of their services include:• Advocating for refugee rights• Assisting displaced refugees in acquiring necessary resources for survival• Working with national governments in acquiring protection for refugees who

risk their lives and safety fleeing persecution• Responding quickly and effectively to emergency situations in order to save

lives• Helping ensure the preservation of environmental resources despite the mass

consumption in order to ensure refugee survival• Secure donations through fund-raising opportunities and private and public

investors despite heavy competition from other organizations in need of assistance

• Securing food, shelter, and protection for millions of displaced refugees• UNHCR stresses that “no one chooses to be a refugee” and its because of

this that these refugees deserve help

A Partnership• A partnership with UNHCR could prove to be mutually

beneficial for both UNHCR and Disney• Disney could be a NGO contributor and can use its widespread

influence to increase public knowledge by airing commercials for UNHCR

• Both Disney and UNHCR are currently committed to helping preserve the environment and the influence of both working together could yield more results

• Disney working with UNHCR would help increase public trust for Disney, which in turn could help drive up profits, as consumers tend to like to buy from companies who are dedicated to CSR

How Can Disney Help?• Air refugee commercials on Disney-owned channels• Donate money• Make a show or a movie about refugees• Use the power of entertainment to make refugees in camps

feel happier and safer(2)

Commercials• The first step in helping refugees is to raise awareness that a

problem exists and stressing the severity of the situation• Disney owned channels (i.e. ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel, and

sister channels) could run short propaganda commercials about refugees• Such commercials would be similar to the ASPCA commercials

run by other networks• A partnership with refugee organizations such as UNHCR would

help secure rights to commercials

Examples of Potential Commercials (3)

(4)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-M4YMk2L8• “Syrian Child Ali:” A video like this one could be particularly

effective because it highlights an eight year old child, a particular age group that Disney markets to

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3oihW2w-jw• “Refugee Clementine:” This is where some form of a relationship

with UNHCR could be beneficial, as videos like this one highlight how UNHCR has improved lives

• Each video is both commercial length and effective, targets Disney’s key demographic, and appropriately inspires change

Donation• Disney owns a large number of assets, including:• Walt Disney Pictures• Walt Disney Feature Animation• Pixar Studios• Marvel Entertainment• The Muppets• Lucasfilm• ABC Television Studios• Disney Parks and Resorts• The Disney Store• Disney Interactive• Walt Disney Records• 80% of ESPN• 32% of Hulu

• Every year, the film industry makes billions of dollars in profits from films and television shows

• Disney could donate even just 1% of their profits to support refugees and make a huge difference in the world

Disney’s Profits 2012 (5)

Income (millions) 2012 2011 Change

Segment Operating Income

$9,964 $8,825 13%

Net Operating Income

$5,682 $4,807 18%

Media Networks $6,619 $6,146 8%

Cable Networks $5704 $5233 9%

Broadcasting $915 $913 0%

Parks and Resorts $1,902 $1,553 22%

Studio Entertainment

$722 $618 17%

Consumer Products

$937 $816 15%

Disney Interactive $(216) $(308) 30%

Analyzing Disney’s Profits (5)

• In 2012, Disney made $5.862 billion in profits, up 18% from 2011

• Most of those profits came from cable networks, namely ESPN• If each asset donated even 1% of their profits to organizations

like UNHCR, it means giving $58.62 million and still having approximately $5.803 billion in profits left

• Donating 1% of profits wouldn’t financially harm unprofitable assets such as Disney Interactive

Changing Perspectives• Even if people know about the problem, they may not know

the extent of the problem or may have biased and prejudiced opinions

• Film is a good medium to change perspectives• Supersize Me and The Cove played a large role in raising public

knowledge of the extent of the horrors of the fast food industry and the dolphin industry

(2)

ABC’s Pickle (6) (7)

• ABC is currently the number four network and is desperate for a big hit to put it back on top• Hasn’t been the on top since 2004-2007 in the heydays of

Desperate Housewives, LOST, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty, and Brothers and Sisters

• Currently, their best shows are Modern Family, Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, Once Upon a Time, and Revenge, none of which match the ratings and total viewership of previous seasons

ABC Top Ranking Shows (6) (7)

Show Rank

Desperate Housewives

8

Grey’s Anatomy 10

Lost 18

Samantha Who? 26

Private Practice 36

Brothers and Sisters

38

Show Rank

Modern Family 16

Castle 17

Grey’s Anatomy 26

Once Upon a Time 35

Revenge 43

Scandal 44

The Middle 45

Last Resort 47

2007-2008 Season 20012-2013 Season

ABC’s lost some momentum since the height of its recent Success five years ago, as evident by its declining rankings

in the Nielson Ratings

The Big Project• ABC can knock two birds with one stone by ordering a series

about refugee camps• The potential for good drama is there, as refugee camps house

several dangers such as disease, child soldier recruitment, terrorist recruitment, and physical and sexual abuse and would see a group of characters dealing with these unfortunate circumstances while dealing with their oppressive authorities

• The show can humanize these characters and present very real stakes in order to change perspectives about refugees

• Additionally, this potential show would provide a great and appropriate outlet to air refugee commercials and could also donate some profits to real refugee camps

The Effects• A refugee series would be an new, fun, exciting, and original

idea• Shows such as LOST have humanized drug addicts, corrupt

cops, mobsters, con men, and fugitives and such characters them likeable and sympathetic• This type of sympathy could be really effective if applied to

refugee victims of oppression and could really raise public awareness and outrage towards the problem

• This would be a great business venture as well as a great CSR exposure

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? (8)

• While the other ideas would have positive long-term effects, they may not be to effective short term

• Sponsoring movie nights in refugee camps could prove to be a simple, cheap, but effective short term solution

• In the 1930s, people went to the movies to forget about the economic depression• The Three Little Pigs’ song “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” became a

symbol of hope• Refugees in camps are scared, angry, and afraid• Disney could pull resources together to create movie nights once a

week for families in refugee camps, which would lift their spirits, make them forget about their current situations for a couple hours, and give them hope

• If we can raise the general feeling of happiness in the refugee camps, maybe we can raise a general feeling of safety along with it

The Reach• Locally, Disney will unite all of its employees to strive for

common goals and increase our internal community’s bond• Nationally, Disney will raise awareness for refugees and in

doing so, may help in strengthening the bond between our communities in America

• Globally, Disney will help solve problems associated with refugees around the world and will help make a difference in for less-fortunate families in foreign communities

Summary• Going back to Disney’s goals:• We would be making a positive change in the community and encouraging

happiness for children and families• A partnership with refugee organizations, primarily UNHCR, would help us

promote creativity and imagination in other parts of the world• Sponsoring some refugee camp movie nights could help instill a general feeling

of safety and may make people feel safer venturing out into their environment and would increase the familial bond between the entire refugee camp

• A partnership with UNHCR would also help increase environmental preservation, another one of Disney’s CSR focuses

• Our commercials would be inspiring volunteers to make a difference in communities outside of our country

• Our arsenal of assets would be donating money and services according to a sliding scale of profits, which would help others without putting a huge dent in the profitability of each asset

• An ABC television show about refugees could help give the network the hit it needs and would inspire positive change using the power of entertainment

References(1) Disney Citizenship. The Walt Disney Company. Web. 18 August 2013. http

://thewaltdisneycompany.com/citizenship(2) UNHCR Website. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Web. 18 August 2013.

http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home(3) YouTube. Syrian Refugee Ali: "Whenever I Hear a Shelling, I Get Scared and Cry.” The

Guardian. 26 September 2012. Web. 18 August 2013.(4) YouTube. You Don’t Choose to Be a Refugee – UNHCR Cyprus Spot “Clementine.” UNHCR.

2 August 2012. Web. 18 August 2013.(5) "The Walt Disney Company Report: Fourth Quarter and Full Year Earnings for Fiscal 2012."

The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company, 8 Nov 2012. Web. 18 Aug 2013. http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/reports/q4-fy12-earnings.pdf .

(6) "2006-2007 Ranking Report." ABC Media Net. ABC Television Network, 3 Jun 2007. Web. 18 Aug 2013. http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=060507_05

(7) Patton, Dominic. "Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings." Deadline. PMC, 23 May 2013. Web. 18 Aug 2013. http://www.deadline.com/2013/05/tv-season-series-rankings-2013-full-list/ .

(8) Geier, Thom and Lewis Lord. "The Rise of the Common Man." U.S. News & World Report 115.16 (1993). Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Aug 2013.