Posted on: Friday, June 14, 2002

Mickey Mouse mentality

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Staff Columnist

Here we go again, giving Hollywood money in hopes of turning viewers into tourists.

Except this time, the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau is betting on more of a sure thing. It's Disney, which isn't known for making flops. This investment is with a company that has a long track record of making successful products, not a floundering television series or a "who-dese-guys?" film company.

Also, the money is coming at a more sensible time — with the film ready for release. The deal is to tag "Come Visit Hawai'i" messages along with the promotion and marketing of a finished product. It's not money to bail out a bad show or finance someone's dream project with no financial return on the back end. It's a chance to partner with what will no doubt be a large-scale marketing effort for the film.

But on the other side of the balance sheet are some pretty hefty negatives, starting with the impression that the deal was made by the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau without the approval of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. This, after recent criticism from the Legislature and the state auditor of exactly this sort of "quick, sign this!" mode of operating.

The frustration here is that nobody yet can come up with the numbers. The state gives money to these things and no one has figured out a way to count how many people actually get off the plane in response to what they saw on the TV or in the theater.

On this particular project, the tie-in to tourism is a little bit strained. Viewers won't be seeing Hawai'i — they'll be seeing an animated depiction of Hawai'i — and though

I've not seen the film, I'm pretty sure it won't include representations of hotels, rental car surcharges and $14-a-night parking. How is the reality of Tourist Hawai'i going to live up to that?

After all, it ain't golf.

Televising of professional golfing events from Hawai'i, for example, seems a much more straightforward marketing opportunity for tourism. People who golf have money to spend on what is not exactly the cheapest sport around. People from cold climates who love golf will see how balmy and hospitable Hawai'i courses are during the winter months. And people who golf will book hotel rooms near places they can golf. It's a lot easier to connect the dots.

But putting issues of money and tourism numbers aside, what makes it a good idea to market Hawai'i to kids? And a layer below that, what makes it OK to market anything to children? Isn't that something that we as a society have decided we don't like? Isn't it tawdry to sell stuff to innocents? Do we really want seven-day vacation package deals slipped in to kids' videos and DVDs? "Mommy! I want a Lilo doll! ÊMommy! Buy me a Stitch backpack. Mommy! Take me on a trip to Hawai'i!" Yuck.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.