Angry Birds developer Rovio's business ambition: 'Disney 2.0'
Angry Mickey
Angry Birds is kind of a big deal.
Since its release in late 2009, it has become the number one paid app of all time as well as a cultural phenomenon.
Rovio’s total revenue from the Angry Birds brand is estimated to be around €50m, and the company isn't content with stopping there.
In a comment that brings to mind John Lennon's infamous declaration that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus, Rovio has revealed in an interview with Wired that its ambition is to be “Disney 2.0.”
Rovio's 'Mighty Eagle' Peter Vesterbacka (or head of business development in more conventional terms) explains, “We're building an integrated entertainment franchise where merchandising, games, movies, TV, cartoons and comics all come together, like Disney 2.0."
He goes on, "Steamboat Willie created Mickey Mouse, then they added more characters. You can see the same pattern today, but everything is happening much, much faster. Other brands used to build recognition over the course of decades. We've done it in one year."
