Chuck Mortimore’s Post

**Update: Applications have closed—we're truly humbled by the extraordinary interest. Apologies that I'm unable to respond to everyone who connected, but looking forward to talking more with select candidates very soon.** We're running it back... My Disney Parks, Experiences and Products team is #hiring a new Communications Specialist here in Southern California! Imagine yourself: creating, curating and publishing amazing #DisneyCastLife content on Disney social channels. Leading strategic planning and hitting the "deploy!" button on some of our most critical employee communications. Building and showcasing our amazing global community of magic makers by tackling whatever crazy idea we can think of. All while keeping a proud tradition alive of having fun doing the impossible. Side effects include: having nerdy, fantastic colleagues and friends across several continents, invites to "I can't believe we get to do this"-type events, too much Disney ephemera amassing in your home, occasional hangouts with Disney Legends and/or Ambassadors, and, yes... the opportunity to visit Disneyland almost whenever you want. I wish I could grab coffee or connect 1:1 to tell you more, but I'm at one of those aforementioned "I can't believe we get to do this"-type events now, so apologies that this note must suffice. As the TikTok meme goes, "Oh yeah, it's worth it! If you're strong enough." But you've gotta be cool, and you've gotta be good. You out there? #DisneyCommsCareers #DisneyJobs

Disney's recent decision to lay off 140 employees, including 13% of National Geographic's team, has sent ripples across the television industry. In a move impacting about 2% of its workforce, some of the most creative minds at Disney are affected. This change reflects the ever-evolving dynamics of media and entertainment. National Geographic, known for its groundbreaking work, faced significant cuts, reducing their team by 13%. It’s a stark reminder of the industry's shifting priorities. How will these layoffs shape the future of content creation at Disney? Do you think these cuts will impact the quality of innovative storytelling we cherish? Let's discuss thoughts below #Disney #layoffs #NationalGeographic #televisionindustry #media #entertainment #contentcreation #storytelling #industryshifts #jobcuts.

As mention in one of Bryan’s videos from a A Life After Layoff as their is going to be some unpredictable job layoffs within the market for several industries, that people are going to face & undergo for the 2024 calendar year(depending on how their fiscal quarters situations do & vary up). The Walt Disney Company slashed 7,000 positions in series of three-waves (in 2023) for diluting about 3% of their global workforce, in effort to save $5.5B+ in cost savings. Now fast forward towards today in 2024, as being reported by TechCrunch that Pixar Animation Studios is being targeted, for “a number of 1,000 positions being laid off”, of about 20% of what sources are saying. This is due towards the subject matter for like upcoming film schedules/productions and staffing for future greenlight films. And for everyone over at Emeryville, CA as this news certain belows who work in the film/TV/animation industry as I’m thinking about you guys. If you got any resources or connections in terms of other future employment opportunities, please don’t hesitate and contact your recruiter, update your resumes/CV’s letters!! -> https://lnkd.in/gjMtKZqy -> https://lnkd.in/giKePBUT #animationstudio #animationindustry #animationjobs #layoffsupport #layoffs #jobmarket #2024outlook #pixar #filmindustry #filmcommunity #tvnews #entertainmentindustry #entertainmentnews #popculture

Thought. There are some decent job postings out there. But, why do I, as an applicant, have to sign into your site to apply? Why can't there just be a way for the applicant to apply without creating a profile? I mean, what is the point of having another login for another site. Really. Especially if you don't even notify the applicant they were not considered. Is it so you can send junk mail to my email? Seriously, the only company I'm going to keep trying for is the Disney Store. But, the likelihood of that coming back is low to not at all. At least not in the northeast. Seriously, maybe make it a little easier for candidates to apply so you can get awesome employees for your team.

I am just so confused by the decision of The Walt Disney Company to add Hulu to the main menu of Disney Plus. It breaks the taxonomy, Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar are all homes of original IP, deeply creative, and marquee brands. National Geographic benefitted from this association — Hulu is just not in the same category. This needs better IA and Brand Architecture. But, to give the team credit, this is a moment when Brand Architecture problems are getting solved with information architecture in UI. The key is to manage brands often and understand the interrelationships between product and brand architecture and the cadence of both.

WSJ [excerpt]: When #Disney abruptly laid off more than 300 people in #Beijing in late March, it said the move was meant to save money as part of ongoing layoffs. Privately, Disney executives had additional reasons for the staff cuts. Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger was scheduled to meet the following week with Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs a congressional committee focused on U.S. competition with China. Executives were braced for pointed questions about #datasecurity. The Beijing team, which specialized in #technology that allows Disney’s #streaming services to offer viewers personalized recommendations, had access to some U.S. customer data, according to people familiar with the matter. Disney’s #lawyers voiced concerns that the Beijing team’s access to such data would be seen as a potential red flag by the committee, even though the data had been accessible by staff there for years, some of these people said. The layoffs and Disney’s previously unreported efforts to assuage potential concerns in Washington about China’s influence represent another chapter in its at-times thorny relationship with the country. In addition to being the world’s second-largest market for theatrical movie releases, China is home to hundreds of millions of customers for Disney’s theme parks, TV shows and consumer products. “Disney’s decision to restructure and consolidate these operations was not motivated by data security vulnerability concerns,” a company spokesman said. The company in February said it planned to eliminate 7,000 jobs as part of a cost-savings effort. ... China is an important revenue driver for Disney’s consumer #business and became an important hub of technological work for the company’s yearslong effort to grow its streaming business. While Disney says it stores all U.S. streaming customer data domestically, the Beijing staff worked on features such as personalization and search that require access to some subscriber information, people familiar with the matter said. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have articulated concerns in recent years about the Chinese government’s ability to access American user data. The country has adopted laws and rules under Xi Jinping that could give the government access to data collected by companies operating in China. Gallagher is among the members of Congress who have voiced concerns that China’s government could use its leverage, especially in the tech and media industries, to strengthen its military capabilities, access Americans’ user data and influence U.S. pop culture by forcing entertainment companies to self-censor in a way that helps burnish the country’s global image. In January, the Wisconsin Republican said he wanted top executives from Silicon Valley, Hollywood and professional sports leagues, including Iger, to testify before the committee he oversees. #news #geopolitics

Disney, as expected, is going all in for Hulu. Consequently, as part of a strategic restructure to fuel further growth, $8.6 Billion seems a bit too excessive… This was certainly in the air for quite sometime, just not thought it would come so fast and not now. With all the VFX studios and production companies going through hard time, many have closed and some more may close, no shooting in sight, many layoffs…what else could happen? WE DON’T HAVE VOICE in our industry at all. That’s the biggest issue, period. VFX is a BUSINESS, a serious business! Are we treating it as we should? IT SEEMS NOT. Humans of VFX Bectu Animation and VFX Union

Disney+ and Hulu Merger: A New Era for Streaming Services Let's Grow On LinkedIn Day - 4 🚀 Do You Know? Disney+ Unveils New Logo After Merging with Hulu! 🚀 As a graphic designer, I find the recent rebranding of Disney+ fascinating and full of valuable insights. Let's delve into the details and what we can learn from this transformation. ➡ The Big Change: 🌐 Disney+ has officially merged with Hulu, rolling out a new logo to mark this significant event. The iconic blue has been replaced by a vibrant teal, sparking numerous theories online. The Color Story 🔍 The most popular theory suggests that Disney+ combined the Hulu green with the Disney+ blue to create the new teal hue. This color choice signifies unity and a fresh start, merging the best of both worlds. Design Insights 🖌️ Color Theory: The teal represents a balance between the calmness of blue and the vitality of green, symbolizing a harmonious blend of both brands. 🖌️ Brand Identity: The new logo not only marks the merger but also sets the tone for the combined streaming service, aiming to attract a broader audience. 🖌️ Market Impact: Such a strategic change in brand visuals can significantly impact market perception and user engagement. 🖍️Lessons for Graphic Designers Understand Color Psychology: Colors evoke emotions and reactions. Knowing the psychological impact of colors can help in creating more effective designs. Adapt to Brand Evolution: Brands evolve, and so should their visual identity. Stay updated with trends and be flexible in your design approach. Unified Design Language: When merging brands, it's crucial to create a cohesive visual identity that respects the legacy of both while presenting a unified front. Conclusion: The Disney+ and Hulu merger is a perfect case study for the power of rebranding and the strategic use of color in design. As graphic designers, we can draw inspiration from such transformations to enhance our work and deliver impactful visuals. 🔗 What do you think about the new Disney+ logo? Share your thoughts below! #GraphicDesign #Branding #Rebranding #DisneyPlus #Hulu #DesignInspiration #ColorTheory #realestate #StreamingServices Feel free to connect with me to discuss more about design trends and branding strategies! Let's create something amazing together. 🚀

The layoffs come right before Disney CEO Igor is to speak with House China committee Chairman Gallagher. The 300 Chinese employees worked on streaming customization and had access to some U.S. costomers' personal data to facilitate the customization. Disney is claiming the layoffs were for economic reasons but Disney’s lawyers had been warning for some time the access could be problematic. Between movies and theme parks Disney is heavily invested in China. If it can not decouple, then it needs to spin off all China operations as a wholly owned subsidiary business with a “Chinese wall” (pun intended) between it and the parent company, in order to ensure no leaking, bleeding or other access to customer data and proprietary information and IP.

I am about to take off on my flight to Walt Disney World for spring break with my kiddos. I spent a lot of the week making lists upon lists for while I’m out. For the dog sitter, for clients, for work, for my future self. Wondering if this is a “good time” for this trip. We have 2 clients with acquisitions pending and one finalized last week; our flagship research out; 3 reports, packaging project and market alignments in process plus we are launching WorkTechCircle in two weeks and building out our new practioner facing website so I’m managing the dev team. But that’s just how work is. That’s just how life is. It’s busy. It’s messy. It’s everything all at once and all the time. Vacations are never at “convenient” times when you’re growing a business or leading a team; but they are always exactly when you need them most. If you haven’t booked time off this year - even to just stay home and rest your mind, here is your reminder to set time aside. The work will be there when you are back. (PS - I’m going to *try* not to respond to messages while I’m out so expect delays)