By Laura Del Rosso
SAN FRANCISCO -- An Illinois travel agent learned firsthand that
Disney can be dead serious about enforcing its restrictions on the
use of its name and trademarks.
Lynn Sullivan, owner of Travel with Ease in Oswego, Ill., became
a Disney Specialist 10 years ago and, until earlier this year,
promoted that fact on her business card.
Sullivan also decorated her agency with Disney memorabilia and a
wall-size mural featuring Disney characters. She said she got the
go-ahead from her Disney rep, now no longer with the company.
Sullivan also said a Disney representative at a training session
said agents could promote themselves as Disney Specialists on
business cards.
But Disney headquarters saw things differently.
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts does not allow agents to use the
term "Disney Specialist" on advertising, including business cards,
as part of its marketing strategy to maintain the integrity of the
brand.
That policy is stated in the College of Disney Knowledge manual,
which agents are required to read before gaining certification.
Jeff James, Disney's director of travel industry sales, sent
Sullivan a letter in January demanding her business card be changed
and the Disney images removed -- or her agency could be placed on a
no-commission status and the matter referred to Disney's legal
department.
Sullivan painted over the mural, got new business cards and
removed mention of the specialist designation on her agency's Web
site.
She also has switched all her Disney business -- about 20% of
the $2 million agency's sales -- to tour wholesalers that sell
Disney packages. Previously, she booked through the Walt Disney
Travel Co.
"I have taken everything down that is related to Disney. I don't
need to give them any free publicity if they are not going to help
me," Sullivan said.
The Disney material in her office included an estimated $40,000
worth of collectibles and artwork, including the mural that she
commissioned an artist to paint, she said.
A Disney spokeswoman said, "Our brand is our company's greatest
asset, and what we have done is set up an approval process for
agencies interested in selling Disney so that we can preserve the
specialness of the brand, allow us to ensure our name and our
characters are used in the proper way and that [agency promotions]
build on the identity we've established in the consumer
marketplace."
There are two pre-approved ways to promote the Disney Specialist
designation, she said. Specialists can display their Disney
diplomas in their offices and mail press releases to local media
announcing that they completed the College of Disney Knowledge
program.
Disney provides a suggested release, which includes a statement
that the agent has earned the specialist designation.
As to Sullivan's claim that her Disney rep approved the wall
mural, the spokeswoman said, "We don't want to get into a 'he said,
she said' about what happened."
She also said that Disney is discussing ways to make its policy
clearer to agents.
CORRECTION: The headline on this report was updated.