CEC MORE Popular then Mickey...I DON'T THINK SO!

[CEC3066]

Ok we all know that CEC did research a while back and camre nback w/ results that their character was more popular then Mickey. Message Board Member ThatSmilingFace looked it up in a Annual report aand can confirm the fact. HOW ON EARTH can CEC say something that is NOT True. If you look at advertising on the TV you will notice that Disney does TWICE the advertising CEC does.

[pizzacam]

They do? Do you just sit and watch ABC all day? I see Disney commercials on ABC alot but jeez it's no wonder...THEY OWN IT. :rolleyes

[sungun12]

ok, i got a lot on this one....first of all, i have 4 year old brothers. they dont watch the disney channel. they watch nick. and there are cec commercials ever 4 minutes.

from what i remember, it wasnt that cec was more popular, it was that he was recognizable than mickey. more relateable.

think of it this way. not all families can drop a few thousand dollars (or more, depending on how far away you live) to go see mickey mouse. but most families, no matter how poor they are, can shell out $40 to go to cec. almost every kid has seen chuck e in person, while most kids wont ever meet mickey. i mean, im 26 and i went to disney 1 time when i was like 4 which i dont remember at all. what i do remember is my gram taking me to cec every mon, wed & fri after pre-school. and having my 3, 4 & 5 bday party there. i was there a bazillion times not even counting when i started working there.

kids see chuck e more, they can actually drive past a cec, they can have parties there or even get invited on them. thats what i got on that one

[pizzacam]

I gotta go with Sungun on this...same here I remember CEC more as a kid. Although I've never been to Disney that just proves her point... I never had enough money to do so and when I did I flew to the Grand Canyon where there was more to see than just the park and attractions. The second chance I had I flew to New York instead...best decision ever! ;)

[sungun12]

good choice pizzacam - I freakin LOVE NYC

[captslappy]

As someone who holds a college degree in the field of advertising and marketing, let me say that surveys and numbers and "research" can be manipulated to make them say what you want them too. I dare say that this conclusion was reached after interviewing a (likely small) group of children who were asked to do a focus group on Chuck E. Cheese. In such a group, screening questions are usually asked of the potential focus group memembers before they are picked such as "how many times haev you been to CEC in the past X months?" Persons who have not been much or never been would not be picked. Therefore, they likely had a group of very young little kids that have had a lot of exposure to CEC and just really haven't seen nearly as much Disney. Keep in mind that today there are so many more things to compete with Disney then there were when we were kids or our parents were kids. Many new faces in the field include things like Power Rangers, Teletubies, Barney, Doodlebops, Lazy Town, Pokemon, various Cartoon network and Nickolodean original cartoons... Disney still is quite popular but there is so many more newer more updated things that kids are drawn to so I really think CEC's conclusion that Chuck is more popular is both misleading and somewhat rigged.

[pizzacam]

IDK about all of that...but I know I have a hell of alot more fun at CEC in the air condition than I do at most hot ass theme parks...:lol :lol

[FancyHearingCake]

Did they mean "more popular in the US" or "more popular all over the world"? CEC should be more or less unknown anywhere else.

[sungun12]

if i do remember correctly, and it was a while ago that was published...i think it was an independant researcher. not a cec focus group.

but i bet if you did it now, more kids would recognize sponge bob, or diego or dora the explorer more than either one of those.

remember, this survey thing was at least 5 or so years ago

[ChuckEZone]

That's definitely right, Captain. Here are the "results" from the survey in question:


-The Character Q score ranks Chuck E. as America's #1 mouse. He places in the top 3% of 697 characters and scores higher than Winnie the Pooh, Bugs Bunny, and Mickey & Minnie Mouse.**

-The average family with children under 12 will visit Chuck E. Cheese's 5 times a year-- more than 50 million kids, with 2 million specifically for birthday parties.

-98% of children recognize Chuck E. as the result of nation-wide TV advertising.


**According to Cartoon Character Q survey conducted by Marketing Evaluations/TVQ, Inc. May 2002, Children 6-8

[sungun12]

wow, i was pretty damn close!!

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

I have stated this before, and will say it again;

Chuck E Cheese will never, NEVER be Mickey Mouse. No ( bleeping) way!!

As much as CECE would LIKE to think that, it's not going to happen! Over the years ( the last 6 exspecially) they have gradually been trying to emulate Mickey's trademark look into the Chuck E. character design...but i'm sorry, Chuck's a Rat through and through!

I agree though that the results of this survey was on what characters children recognized the MOST based on TV viewing. I totally agree that Chuck E. is certainly more exposed and availble readily to kids simply because he is constantly on tv in ads. He is 'local' since his locations are everywhere. Mickey is not really 'known" to young children until they get a little older and have the chance to visit the parks and understand what he represents. Also, Mickey is not really featured in many ads and certainly not in as nearly as constant a broadcast rotation as Chuck is. All this 'survey" does is sadly show how today's kids are tv addicts. No wonder the USA is listed as having a serious epidemic of overwieght, obese children. We are #1 in the world there in that departement last i heard....


I've said this before, and i'll say it again: Chuck E. will NEVER ever be a Mickey Mouse. Mickey will ALWAYS be tops. Chuck E. is NOTHING compared to Mickey...i'm sorry but it's true.

Chuck E would not even exsist if it were'nt for Mickey Mouse. Remember, it was DisneyLand and the admiration that Nolan Bushnell had for Walt Disney that inspired him to create the CEC Concept all those years ago. Chuck E. owes his very creation to the VERY Mouse his Company is now trying to slag off as being 'less recognizable".

And is'nt that in itself a bit misleading...the survey is leading one to beleive that because Chuck E. is "most recognizable" it means he is 'most popular'. That is what one would assume the way this is worded...which of course is not the case as just because kids recognize a character does'nt mean they like them BETTER....

Argh...this debate has always ticked me off. CECE has been shadowing Disney for ages now and for them to have to gall to present this sort of "info" is pathetic. Sorry..i could'nt hold back with this one man.....it's rubbish.

So the kids recognize him....whoop-de doo. Anyone with half a brain will if they watch kids tv regularly. It means nothing really...but it's being made out ( by this 'survey") that is DOES mean something. It does'nt!!

Mickey rules supreme, and always will. I'm with Disney all the way with this one. How the heck can they even claim he's "America's Favorite Mouse' when we all know he is'nt even a MOUSE AT ALL!!

He's a flippin' RAT with NO TAIL!!!!

*@!$!**!**!!!!! >:

[Aaron]

Jenn,

You know I love some of the things you say and how you've made some great things happen
but that post, I don't agree with completely. So I apologize if I sound rude, I'm just going to
say as much of my opinion as you did yours.

When you think about it Missy's right, take a look in the average America's pocket.
Are they going to have a couple thousand to spend at Disney every two weeks or are they
going to toss out $50 here and there to take their kids someplace smaller?

The reality of it is, Disney is a lot bigger than Chuck E. It's a vacation spot- not eating dinner out.
Chuck, while some resemblences to Disney has their own plan.

It just is how you take a look at the picture- you're getting infuriated by it
and not trying to be rude, but your post almost sounds bitter.

As for the comment concerning America and obesity- well that problem is another debate.
If parents send their kids to activities, clubs, boy/girl scouts, there wouldn't be the problem.
The fact that they're advertising doesn't mean anything. They're doing what all companies do.

Now on to the Chuck E will never be Mickey. If they were trying to directly copy don't you think
there would be a Cheese Resort by now or something? :rollin
I mean come on, let's get real. There's a difference between copying and trying something new someone else has done.

Onto the television issue- you're right. We watch TV. It's a force of nature almost for us!
That said, turn to the Disney Channel ;)

And while Mickey might win hearts, Chuck (the mouse) has swept the nation with CEC on every corner.
The rat didn't work for the company, we can see that now.

The fact that he's a mouse is one of those five steps foward one step backwards thing.

*ques song... Our Mouse*

Sorry Jenn, but the majority of kinds aren't going to sit around the lunch table and say
"Hey Joey, I went to DisneyLand last night!"

I apologize if my post is offensive, just tossed in my opinion, too.
*ducks from tomatoes*

-NJ

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Aaron...i'm really glad you posted this.

And you know, you need not worry...i'm not going to throw any tomatoes around!... :lol


I not offended at all...why would i be really, as that's what so GREAT about this message board...we can all come here and talk about things and have healthy discussions about the things we enjoy.

That being said, i did state in my above comments that i agree with what was being said, but that the survey was being somewhat manipulated for the Company's benefit. Being the "most recognized" is not the same as being the "most popular"....that is the issue i have been having with this topic over the years as it's very missleading to the general public i think. I TOTALLY agree that Chuck IS far more recognizable to today's kids...i do. That is simply because of tv, and the locality of his stores. Yes, like you had said, kids know and appreciate Chuck more simply because they have a more personal, immediate relationship with him ( he's on my tv...i'm hugging him at my local store!). Only those that get to go off to the Parks really get to learn who Mickey really is in today's times...i mean, Mick just does'nt get the celebrity exposure he used to. I agree with those things.....i do.

What i don't like is how this survey info's truth is a little twisted......

Great post Aaron...you really do need to get on here more often and vent! :)

[sungun12]

i didnt get the impression that CEC had anything to do with that survey what so ever....