A Disney celebration of the company’s centenary has proven controversial among viewers after broadcasting a multi-million-dollar campaign amid a wave of job cuts.
Bob Iger, CEO at Disney thanked fans on his Twitter account on Sunday, sharing a 90-second video which was shown at the Super Bowl that evening.
Thirty-second commercials shown at the Super Bowl, which was watched by an whopping 113million viewers this year, were reported to cost as much as $7million a slot.
Disney said the advert, which reviewed 100 years of film content and thanked fans for their support, was paid for with previous ad credits.
Fans and critics were quick to push back on the commercial, which was judged by some to be ill-timed.
Kristina Monllos, senior marketing editor at online trade magazine Digiday, said: ‘Something about that Disney celebratory ad bugs me … maybe it’s the recent announcement they’re laying off 7,000 employees and spending at least $7m on the ad.’
Some took to Twitter to question the Super Bowl ad amid a wave of recent job cuts at Disney
Drew Lewis, Head of Content at Redbear Films, tweeted: ‘How many jobs could’ve been saved instead of spending $7m on that 100 year anniversary ad?’
The exact cost of airing the commercial has not been reported.
Another user replied to Monllos, adding: ‘The layoffs were pitched as cost cutting, spending on a [Super Bowl] ad is not essential.’
One commented under the post by the main Disney account: ‘A company with quite a dark history. How ’bout we address the recent lay off of 7,000 employees?’
Last Wednesday, Mr Iger announced his plans to restructure the company as it comes up to its 100-year anniversary on 16 October.
He also recently said he would step down within two years.
Disney will effectively eliminate the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution group set up under former CEO Bob Chapek.
Laying off 3% of the company’s global workforce comes despite revenues of $23.51bn in 2022.
Expenses did slow Disney’s growth last year, and Mr Iger expects to save $5.5bn with the new reforms.
Operating expenses for the 12 months ending 31 December 2022 totaled $78.154bn, a 15.05% increase year-on-year.
The company’s operating income for the last quarter of 2022 was reportedly 12.39% lower year-on-year.
Critics took to Twitter to voice their disgust at Disney
Some responded to the start of the campaign, noting thousands of lost jobs to save
The advert took a look back on the last 100 years of Disney movies, thanking fans for support
CEO Bob Iger, pictured on Monday at the 95th Academy Awards nominees luncheon, after announcing the decision to cut jobs and rein in Disney’s expenses last Wednesday
Disney has been subject to a number of controversies in recent years.
In 2020, during the Covid pandemic, the company was criticized for laying off thousands of staff while giving large payouts to top executives.
Executives were initially asked to take a voluntary pay cut to their six-figure salaries as lower-paid staff deemed ‘non-essential’ were placed on furlough, paid until 18 April 2020.
Mr Iger at the time said he would forgo his entire multi-million dollar salary to help the company balance the books after parks were closed and movie releases delayed.
For decades the company has faced backlash for misrepresenting certain groups and perpetuating stereotypes.
Social media has, more recently, spread awareness of certain perceived hypocrisies.
In May 2020, the company received some backlash after posting ‘we must unite and speak out’ against racism after the murder of George Floyd.
Some identified that the company appeared less willing to stand against racism when promoting Star Wars: The Force Awakens in China, shrinking black actor John Boyega’s character in a promotional poster.
Other non-white characters were cut entirely from the poster, replaced with TIE fighters and Stormtroopers.
That year, the company also faced backlash for thanking Chinese government entities in the credits of its remake of Mulan.
The film drew fire for being partially filmed in Xinjiang, where China is accused of human rights abuses against Uighur Muslims.
Disney also faced backlash in 2021 after audiences judged that disclaimers about ‘negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures’ on classic movies on Disney+ were insufficient.
The company was then criticized earlier this month for ‘going woke’ with The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which discusses slavery and reparations.
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