The Magic Kingdom of paint - Brief Article

Home Channel News, Nov 20, 2000 by Brae Canlen

Sherwin-Williams will produce 168 coatings grouped into five themes, including Mickey, Minnie and Pooh

DIY moms and dads now have a whole new cast of colors to repaint their kids' bedrooms. Disney Color a line of paints manufactured by Sherwin-Williams, has burst onto the market with the Fanfare of new movie release.

Unveiled at the National Hardware Show in Chicago this summer, Disney Color was first available at Wal-Mart stores and is now being carried by Menard, HomeBase, Villager's Hardware and Sears. Ace Hardware, TruServ and Do it Best showed the line at their fall markets. and on Oct. 23, a national advertising campaign kicked off. In addition to a six-page insert in People magazine, the Disney Home program -- which includes stencil and stamp kits as well as paint -- will also run ads in Parenting, Parents, Working Mother and Better Homes & Gardens.

Sherwin-Williams and Walt Disney Co. collaborated for more than a year to develop the line of 168 paints that are grouped under five Disney themes Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Buzz Lightyear and Woody, Cinderella and 102 Dalmations. Colors range from pastels and soft neutrals to bright accents. Using the Disney brand formulas, retailers can replicate the red found in Mickey's shorts or the pink polka dots on Minnie's dress. New colors may be released to coincide with future Disney films.

Marketing efforts are clearly aimed at female paint buyers whose imaginations and emotions are influenced by familiar Disney characters. Their kids may also clamor for "Get Goofy," "Wendy Darling" and "At the Ball." Neither group of customers is likely to ask, "Who's making this paint?" But if they are curious, it will take some searching to find the manufacturer's name.

"Once you say Disney, there's no need to put another brand on there," said John O'Brien, vp-marketing for Sherwin-Williams. Merchandising displays include a 4x4 stand-alone island and an eight-foot gondola. Both include a line of stencils, wall stamps and other accessories manufactured by Plaid Enterprises of Atlanta. Pictures of finished rooms adorn both displays, which include take-home swatches and a $6 Disney Home decorating guide.

Dick Wise, Do it Best's product managers for paint and sundries, said that the buying groups' dealer-members seemed to prefer the stand-alone display shown at the co-op's recent market. "You can put a pallet jack in front of it and move it around the store to increase visibility," Wise explained. Members also seemed to appreciate the compact assortment of 17 skus, Wise said.

Available in semi-gloss, satin and ceiling finish, Disney's interior latex paint retails for $15 to $19 per gallon. It also comes in quart sizes. The line includes glow-in-the-dark paints for special effects.

Brand extension planned

The Disney Home line will not include printed borders, which many retailers already carry from other Disney-licensed suppliers. But overall, Disney has made few forays into home improvement channels. This may soon change, though, as Disney embarks on an overhaul of its underperforming Consumer Products unit, the division that oversees licensed merchandise, interactive games, books, magazines and Disney's own chain of retail stores. Plans call for an expanded Disney Home collection, which includes bedding, furniture, decorative accessories and Disney Color paint. Henri Studio, a garden decor manufacturer based in Wauconda, Ill., just introduced a Disney-licensed line of fountains, birdbaths and planters featuring Mickey, Minnie and Pooh.

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Andrew Mooney, the new president of Disney Consumer Products, vowed to cut back on redundant licensing agreements that focused more on the deal than the product. Mooney also told the Journal that he is personally meeting with top retailers to hammer out licensing deals for exclusive lines of Disney merchandise.

The deal with Sherwin-Williams is also breaking new ground for Disney, according to the paint company's vp-marketing. "In the past, they've always licensed [individual] characters," O'Brien said. "This is the first time that [the] Disney [brand] stands alone." Wal-Mart stores in Mexico and Canada will begin selling Disney Color next spring, and Sherwin-Williams is "in discussion" with Disney concerning a Europe and Asia rollout, according to O'Brien. Future plans might also include selling Disney paints outside of home improvement channels, he added.