Diz Co. gets blow-back for its latest character merchandising:
Following the moderate success Brave, Disney as ever was efficient in marketing the characters and film ... Merida was earlier this week revealed as the ’11th princess’ of the popular marketing line, the first Pixar character to reach the status, though [there was a] ‘redesign’ to fit her in alongside the likes of ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Ariel’. The new concept art shows her as ‘older and slimmer’ ...
Angered by the alterations, a petition against Disney and chairman Bob Iger has been started on ‘Change.org‘ with over 187,000 supporters at the time of writing ...
Brave‘s former director Brenda Chapman added to the ‘controversy’: “I think it’s atrocious what they have done to Merida. When little girls say they like it because it’s more sparkly, that’s all fine and good but, subconsciously, they are soaking in the sexy ‘come hither’ look and the skinny aspect of the new version. It’s horrible! Merida was created to break that mould – to give young girls a better, stronger role model, a more attainable role model, something of substance, not just a pretty face that waits around for romance.” ...
I don't think Bob Iger will be making any tearful apologies for the liberties taken with Pixar's lead character. (Just a guess.)
When the Walt Disney Company shelled out $7.2 billion for the Emeryville money-making machine, it reserved the right to bastardize the artists' creations any damn way it wanted. It's called "maximizing shareholder value," and if you're not down with that, it's your problem.
Mr. Iger is running a multi-national conglomerate, not a Renaissance art studio. You want the Renaissance, move to Florence.
Add On: Ah. I see that Cartoon Brew covered this blizzard in a thimble a few days ago. I should read more blogs.
Add On Too: The shitstorm that came down on Diz Co.'s head seems to have created some ... ah ... movement.
Quiet as a mouse, Disney has pulled the girly version of Merida from its site and has replaced it [with] the original movie version. ...
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3 comments:
...and yet
...there is not a peep about Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America, macho muscle-laden superheros who punch their fists until they get their way; there is not a single raised eyebrow about how these fictitious characters are unrealstically bulging with bicepts and rescuing trophey-like damsels in distress. There is no talk about how all this is affecting and influencing the minds and self-images of young boys.
But if the media finds it "appalling" and "over-sexualizing" that there are sparkles on Princess Merida's dress, or that her waist is slightly narrower than originally, so be it.
But there IS a double standard here.
Ah, but there are always double (and triple, quadruple) standards. It's how the world operates.
And you will always find some commentator on the teevee flapping his hands in dismay.
Me, I've long ago come to grips with the fact that "Everything is arbitrary, everything is temporary."
By and large I work not to worry about it, because it's a waste of energy.
(I think, by the way, that Brenda Chapman has every right to be upset and vocal about Disney's merchandise decisions. At the same time, it's way down the list of my own priorities.)
I like of Brave a lot but I must say that,in many aspects, Mulan broke that mold before.
I just think that, beside being a hollow version of the character, the "princess version" is a poorly executed version. The Disney's Consumer Products Division must have some better artists.
For me the most important in this case is bring back the discussion about the impact of the media at children and, of course, the attitude of Ms Chapman being vocal and defending her creation. Although she can not win.
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