Animation Market In China And The Shanghai Disney Project: Which Opportunities For Local Companies?

As one of the most successful international entertainment enterprises, Walt Disney Company is worthy of being the leader of the world’s animation industry with rich experiences and solid strength. Now Disney expands its horizon into the Chinese market to take a share of this huge pie. Shanghai Disney Resort is estimated to be officially opened in 2015.The Shanghai Disney Project shows Disney’s ambition to fully exploit the Chinese market. The joint of this magnate certainly will bring influences on the Chinese animation industry. China now is developing the culture industry at full blast and among which the animation industry as a key target has been paid unprecedented attention. Though it is still at the starting stage, the huge market demand and booming development is an inevitable trend.This thesis takes the Shanghai Disney Project as a starting point to study on the possible influences on the Chinese animation industry and local companies. Firstly a review on Disney’s globalization progress is made. Then it follows a study on the current overall status of the Chinese animation industry and also a detailed analysis on the Shanghai market. Lastly, some assumptions about the opportunities and challenges from Disney for local companies are given through a case study. Shanghai Toonmax Media Company as the leader of the Shanghai animation industry is selected as the object.In short term, Disney may hit local companies heavily, while the competition can promote the development of them in long run. How can local companies find a way out? How to make strategies based on taking own advantages and using the pushing effects from Disney? All these have been studied in the paper.