Disney Is Shaking Up Its Consumer Products Business. Here’s What’s Changing

Disney is making a big change behind the scenes, and it could shape how your favorite stories become the books, toys, collectibles, and park merchandise you bring home.

Starting October 4, Disney Consumer Products’ global licensing and publishing businesses will move under Disney Entertainment – Studios. Disney Parks merchandise, Disney Store locations, and DisneyStore.com will stay with Disney Experiences. In simple terms, the teams working with outside companies on Disney products and books will sit closer to the studios creating the stories, while Disney’s own stores and park shops remain with Experiences. The Walt Disney Company

Cathleen Taff Takes On a Bigger Role

Cathleen Taff has been named President, Disney Entertainment – Studios and Consumer Products. She’ll oversee the licensing and publishing businesses alongside her existing responsibilities, which include franchise management, theatrical distribution, Disney Theatrical Group, and Disney Music Group.

That puts a lot of Disney storytelling under one leader’s watch. Taff’s work already spans films from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and the company’s other studios. Now the products and publishing partnerships built around those worlds will be part of her portfolio, too. The Walt Disney Company

The Parks and Disney Store Stay Together

Lisa Baldzicki will continue to lead Disney Parks merchandise and take on expanded responsibility for Disney Store locations worldwide and DisneyStore.com. She’ll also lead a new Global Experience & Innovation team focused on spotting ideas that could work across Disney Experiences. The Walt Disney Company

So, will you notice a difference the next time you walk into a Disney Store or spot a new popcorn bucket at Disneyland? Disney hasn’t announced any product changes as part of this news. For now, this is a leadership and reporting change. But it gives us an interesting question to watch: will bringing licensing and publishing closer to the studios lead to more products tied to new Disney stories?

We’ll be keeping an eye on what comes next.

Source: The Walt Disney Company