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Tales from Cinderella Castle: Examining fandom and rivalry within Disney
Journal of Brand Strategy,
10
(2),
178-195
(2021)
Abstract
The current study investigated fandom and rivalry towards Disney’s and Universal’s theme parks. In particular, fans of Disney’s theme parks were asked to report their attitudes towards each brand, along with their perceptions and behaviours towards Universal’s theme parks. Results showed that participants reported higher attitudes towards Disney’s theme parks than towards Universal’s theme parks. Further, identification with Disney positively influenced attitudes towards Disney’s theme parks and more support for and likelihood of attending Universal’s theme parks. Identification with Disney, however, also led to more negative impressions of Universal’s fan behaviour and prestige, greater excitement when Disney compares favourably with Universal and a higher likelihood of celebrating a perceived failure by Universal. Finally, participants that reported being fans of both Disney and Universal were more positive with regard to rival perceptions and behaviours. Implications for researchers and practitioners are discussed, along with areas for future study.
Keywords: rivalry; consumer rivalry; brand communities; brand rivalry; in-group bias; intergroup relations
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Cody T. Havard is Associate Professor of Sport Commerce in the Kemmons Wilson School at The University of Memphis. His research interests involve fan and consumer behaviour, with a specific focus on how fans perceive rival teams.
Daniel L. Wann is Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Murray State University, where he has been a faculty member since 1991. Dubbed ‘Dr. Fandom’ in a 2019 ESPN documentary film on his work, Dr Wann has been studying the psychology of sport fans and spectators since the mid-1980s, with a particular interest in team identification (ie, a fan’s psychological connection to a team). Professor Wann has written many books on the topic of sport psychology, including Sport Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Fandom (Routledge, 2019), which is in its second edition and has been added to the International Olympic World Library in Lausanne, Switzerland. Additionally, he has authored over 200 journal articles and book chapters, and has given over 200 conference presentations and invited talks on the topic of sport fans and parental involvement in sport, including the prestigious ESPN Newsmakers Series, which was given in June 2019. He is a former member of the Executive Board of Directors for the National Alliance for Youth Sports and currently serves on the Advisory Board for this organisation. Dr. Wann has received numerous awards for his teaching, research, mentoring and service, including being named as a Distinguished Professor by the Murray State University Alumni Association. Additional awards include the 2018 Marlene Mawson Scholar by the University of Kansas Department of Sport Management, the Murray State University Distinguished Mentor Award, the Murray State University College of Humanities and Fine Arts Outstanding Researcher Award (twice), the Murray State University Alumni Foundation Distinguished Researcher Award, and the Murray State University Board of Regents Award for Teaching Excellence.
Frederick G. Grieve , PhD, is a full professor of Psychology at Western Kentucky University. He is licensed as a health service provider in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, a licence he has held since 2002, and is part owner of a small private practice that focuses on assessment. His research falls into two general categories: men’s body image and sport fan behaviours. In sport fandom research, Dr Grieve examines the influences of team identification on social psychological health and affiliation behaviours. He has also examined coping strategies and superstitious fan behaviour. In this area he has published 29 papers, had 52 presentations, supervised 24 student presentations and chaired 8 theses. He has been interviewed for both local and national media and has appeared in national newspapers such as the LA Times, Detroit Free Press and Washington Post; has been quoted in professional publications, including the APS Observer; has been interviewed for Internet sites, including Sports Business Journal and Understanding My Mind; appeared on radio broadcasts for ESPN, NPR and other local broadcasts; and been interviewed on television for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Brian Collins is the founder of The Brainstorm Institute, WDWithMe.com, and consults educators on STEM curriculum and fostering creativity in the classroom. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida, a former Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company and writes a monthly column for WDW Magazine. A passionate educator, Brian has served on the faculty of several schools. His deep understanding of new and emerging technologies and, most importantly, how they apply to business has helped fuel his unique career. A ‘normal’ day for Brian might include exploring augmented reality, synthetic environments, Blockchain or some other exotic ‘sci-fi’ tech that is out there … or on the way. Brian earned his Master’s degree in Marketing from Webster University, where he was a Distinguished Graduate. His Bachelor’s degree was awarded by Texas Tech University. He is also an officer in the United States Air Force Auxiliary (Civil Air Patrol), is active in his synagogue and has served on the Boards of Directors for the Central Florida STEM Education Council, Forward Thinking Initiatives and the Central Florida Children’s Safety Village.
