Is it ambition or anxiety at Disney?

For the first time in company history, Disney has appointed a Chief Marketing and Brand Officer (CMBO) to unify previously siloed marketing teams across its far-reaching businesses. For a company that has spent over 100 years cultivating one of the most powerful brands in the world without a CMBO, the move begs an obvious question: why now?

From their park experience to the lovable anthropomorphic animals that captivate audiences of all ages (yes, I'm looking at you, Disney adults), Disney has managed to become a brand so embedded in our social fabric, it's become part of identity. Former Disney CEO Bob Iger describes this brand power as "almost a chemical reaction in someone as soon as they hear that name." 

And he's not wrong: Neuroscientific research has found evidence that brands can activate a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and the reward system. 

In essence, the "most magical place on earth" is a result of the biological, psychological, and emotional states the brand evokes. And up until very recently, it's seemed like their brand equity was enough to keep this magic alive.

The appointment of Asad Ayaz as the first ever CMBO raises some uncomfortable questions: Is the magic of the Disney brand fading? Or is the CMBO move instead a reaction to streaming as a way to connect this magic across different platforms? Both? When streaming is making content infinitely accessible, does the Disney experience lose its power? Is the CMBO a sign of ambition, or anxiety? Is Disney scaling the magic, or scrambling to find it?

Either way, the move emphasizes a need for a more strategic and interconnected approach to understanding how all parts of the Disney ecosystem align with how consumers perceive the brand.