Disney’s “Disney Vault” marketing strategy involves releasing movies for a limited time before locking them away for a period, creating demand for re-releases. This tactic replaces re-releasing movies in theaters and creates urgency in consumers to buy before they disappear. The strategy is also used to manage a vast number of titles and keep old movies new for young fans. However, it can cause panic among parents who miss out on purchasing a movie during its limited release.
While Disney has provided many magical memories for countless children around the world, part of the true Disney magic lies in the ingenious marketing ploy commonly referred to as the “Disney Vault”. By creating the demand for movies that have already been released to the general population, Disney successfully makes every movie a blockbuster when it comes out on DVD booths, regardless of how old the movie is. The way the Disney vault works is that Disney will release a movie on video for a limited time to much fanfare. After this designated time, the film is removed from the shelves and locked away for a period of time, usually ten years.
Before the advent of the home video recorder (VCR), children had to wait seven years between re-releases of Disney movies. While most of the kids had now outgrown the film, a new batch of Disney-philes rose to take their places, and the film was once again a hit. Once people were able to rent or buy movies to watch at home, re-releasing movies in theaters no longer had the appeal it once did. The Disney vault has replaced this tactic, limiting access to the film and creating a buzz around its re-release, which invariably boosts sales.
While this moratorium that Disney places on movies when they return to the vault may be good for Disney’s bottom line, an imminent freeze on a favorite classic can send parents into a full-blown panic. This sense of urgency in the consumer is exactly what Disney wants. People who don’t have children yet buy movies out of fear that their impending offspring might spend nearly their entire childhood without a copy of The Little Mermaid in their DVD library.
Some may also remember the now defunct Disney Vault, which was a block of programming on the Disney Channel. Vault Disney iterated on classic shows like The Mickey Mouse Club, introducing new generations to beloved characters.
According to Disney, the Disney vault is needed to manage a vast number of titles and to keep old movies and shows new for young fans. While this may be true, many parents who miss out on a movie purchase during its limited release may be forced to scour garage sales for used copies or pay exorbitant prices on auction sites like eBay. So, next time one of your favorite childhood films is released from the Disney vault, you just might have to buy it, even if your future children are just a mere twinkle in your eye.
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