Disney's penetration of Asia goes way beyond theme parks
Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 12:09AM 
pic here
FT front-pager on Disney expanding its language schools in China, with a goal of almost 150 schools and $100m in revenue. By 2015, it wants to be training 150k Chinese kids each year.
The curriculum features Disney characters, obviously. A growing Chinese middle class "means there is no shortage of parents willing to pay $2,200 a year for tuition of two hours a week."
I heard that last bit in spades from the Gymboree international franchise operators: there is almost no limit to what parents will pay in emerging markets to get their kids ahead of the pack--typical of countries on the rise.
The hidden benefit is also fairly obvious, as far as Disney is concerned:
But the schools also enable Disney to forge a bond with a new generation of consumers who may be unaware of the company's characters and stories.
This is crucial because gov quotas on foreign films restrict Disney's marketing there.
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