Commentary: Bob Iger and the inevitability of the comeback of Disney
In its attempt to grow its customer base and compete head-on with Amazon, Netflix, and other online-video services, Disney has been steadily selling more product. It has done so through several methods, but it has come to center on its licensing and distribution to streaming platforms.
It’s one of the major reasons why, as Disney has added more content, it has gained market share, or share of market, over time. And it is why Disney has added significant talent and built a huge company from the ground up. Now, with Bob Iger’s departure, the company will be moving into a new phase, one that will look at developing its own entertainment offerings. One that may look a lot more like the old, traditional Disney, rather than a company seeking to compete with competitors that are focusing on streaming and other digital delivery platforms.
Iger said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that Disney is planning to develop its own content and make its own original movies and shows. Iger said “When you look at everything that we’ve done, it’s all been to drive innovation, to drive growth and to drive customer engagement,” he said.
“You can’t run a show and not be involved in what’s next and what’s next,” Iger said. “I am looking forward to taking advantage of that opportunity,” he said.
But what exactly is Disney doing to build its own content? It is hard to argue that Disney doesn’t already have an incredibly diverse, growing collection of films and TV shows. In fact, it is clear that Iger sees more opportunity to build Disney’s own content on his watch.
With the possible exception of the upcoming streaming service Disney+ and the planned acquisition of Fox assets, the company has not built a brand of its own. Instead, it has built a collection of brands, from Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and Marvel to its film studio, a
