... so they manage it.
... Disney canned Dana Precious, EVP of Worldwide Marketing for Marvel’s LA Studios; Jeffrey Stewart, VP of Worldwide Marketing (he’d been brought in by Dana); and Jodi Miller, Manager of Worldwide Marketing. ... That’s essentially Marvel’s entire marketing department. The trio had worried their jobs were on the line ever since Disney bought Marvel in 2009. And even more so this summer after Paramount released Thor and Captain America domestically and internationally, thus effectively ending that studio’s marketing and distribution of Marvel pictures. ...
The Mouse laid out a lot of folding green to purchase Marvel, so it stands to reason they're going to toss out the old and bring in their own group. It's the way of the world with all management. They're never married to the previous regime's staff, ever. And there's another constant:
... on June 24th, Rob Steffens, who is Marvel Studios’ EVP Operations, met with all of the department at the Manhattan Beach offices in what was described as a “Disney Rules of the Road” meeting. He told staff that there would be no house-cleaning by the mouse, period, so they were not to fear for their jobs and flee en masse. ...
I've worked at this taco stand for a few years now, and there is one iron-clad rule. When upper management tromps in with wide smiles and burbles to the staff: "Nobody has to worry. Your jobs are all safe," it's time to start circulating the resume and knocking on other companies' doors.
Posts
6 comments:
Marvel doesn't have a clue yet what Disney has in mind for them. They think that Disney is going to let them run Marvel and continue to make all their lame brain decisions. No way. They are so naive and they better not be buying any big cars or real estate.
The only thing surprising so far is that Disney hasn't already cleaned house all the way to the top of Marvel's food-chain. All the way up to Cup of Blow....
All of The Walt Disney Studio's recent restructuring and layoffs have revolved around marketing and distribution. This is not really that big of a surprise.
"there is one iron-clad rule. When upper management tromps in with wide smiles and burbles to the staff: "Nobody has to worry. Your jobs are all safe," it's time to start circulating the resume and knocking on other companies' doors."
This is so true. Every student and new recruit into the industry should be told what that phrase actually signals. OR maybe they just have to learn it on their own. I dunno ...
Steve, I wonder if this particular bit of blarny is a conscious strategy that is taught to them at 'Management U.' , or is this some arcane unwritten tradition that just gets passed down from one generation to the next ?
It must give some of them a perverse sort of pleasure , because they know that the veteran artists on staff will be disheartened and worried by the announcement ("don't worry, your jobs are all safe") because they've seen this scenario play out before and on the other hand the wet-behind-the-ears members of the staff are in for a big shock , so it's a sort of sadism , OR maybe they're actually trying to be nice by giving the vets a heads up , speaking in code :"Nobody has to worry, your jobs are all safe" which translates to: "Warning, warning - Start circulating the ol' resume gents and get ready to move on". I can't decide which it is. Or maybe a combination of both.
I don't think that much thought goes into it. I suspect the thought process of the upper management exec is more straightforward, like, "I know things are about to get ugly. And a few management underlings know it too, and they may not keep their mouths shut. So I better preempt any negative rumors that might start circulating like wildfire, because I don't want people bailing early or being half-hearted as we finish this current project."
I certainly don't think they're as savvy as you give them credit for being when they give out the lie that "your jobs are safe." Nor are they thoughtful enough to signal the truth to vets, nor sadistic enough to want to crush the spirits of the youngsters. They're just doing what they think will get them though the new few weeks.
Kind of like the way a mediocre poker play can't help acting the opposite of what they're feeling, and by doing so giving away the truth.
Andrew Millstein might be able to elucidate. The Florida Studio was told "Don't worry, everything will be alright", and the people totally fell for it.
^
Yes, and he was handsomely rewarded for his cowardly lies. But can he sleep well at night ? (yes, unfortunately, he probably sleeps very well. These people are not like the rest of us. Never trust them.)
Post a Comment