If you are giving birth this spring, you may have a visitor in the maternity ward: Mickey Mouse.
According to the New York Times, Disney is giving away 200,000 “Disney Cuddly Bodysuits” to new moms in maternity wards across the country though May. This is part of Disney’s new push into all things baby, from apparel now to strollers, baby food, bath items and more in the near future.
This reopens the debate about commercial freebies in the maternity ward—hospitals in recent years have been criticized for giving away formula by breastfeeding advocates. Of course, a Onesie isn’t as controversial as a can of formula.
In reality, Disney has always had a foothold in the baby gear category—they’ve licensed their name and characters for a variety of baby gear items over the years. However, this effort marks a shift in Disney’s startegy: now the items will be made in-house and heavily marketed, the NYT reported.
It’s hard to say whether this will work. Slapping Mickey Mouse on a cheap Delta stroller sold at Wal-Mart will probably sell quite a few units . . . but will parents be willing to shell out money for Disney gear at Babies R Us or Buy Buy Baby? There Disney will find entrenched competitors like Graco who aren’t likely to give up market share to the mouse without a fight.
On the other hand, Disney’s deep pockets and success with brands like Disney Princess show it plays to win. One casualty here could be the weaker baby gear companies (Combi, we’re talking about you), who may find themselves left off the shelves when the music stops.
What do you think? Is Disney making a smart move here?
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