The rationale behind the marketing for 1950's Cinderella dispels a misconception about Disney films. The company has been responsible for many of the most beloved animated features throughout the last few decades. Classics like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, as well as more recent projects like the Tangled and Frozen movies, have become pop culture mainstays. Such films have positioned Disney as a leading and long-lasting influence on the entertainment industry at large. Yet, despite the company's success and celebrated cinematic trajectory, there is an occasional misconception about its movies: the idea that they are solely for children.
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The sentiment is somewhat understandable, given the films' colorful settings, whimsical plots, and child-friendly characters. However, nearly every one of the studio's big-screen projects (animated and live-action) is developed to also be enjoyed by adults, and the promotional campaign for the original Cinderella proves it. Emily Zemler's book, Disney Princess: Beyond the Tiara, charts the history of Disney's princess movies. The publication discusses the mentality behind Cinderella's marketing efforts, stating it was advertised as a "date movie" in order to attract grown-ups as much as younger audiences. Per the book (p. 78):
"'Cinderella' was marketed as a date movie, with the tagline 'Midnight never strikes when you're in love,' and Walt intended the film for audiences of all ages, not just children. This translated into the merchandise released around the film, which was targeted as much to adults as it was to kids."
Historian Stacia Martin added: "Walt [Disney] made what he felt were good stories for everybody. He made what suited his taste, and his taste was very much in tune with the general American psyche of the times he inhabited. The market for these objects was everyone." The efforts to make Disney's films appeal to everybody carried over into Cinderella's merchandising, which, per Beyond the Tiara, was designed for a wide age range. Walt Disney and his collaborators indeed had a keen sense of what audiences wanted to see. Disney movies like Cinderella and Snow White became cultural phenomena, remaining relevant even decades after their release. The company's universally appealing storytelling approach has remained an integral part of its business model, with the studio continuing to find mainstream success through the Frozen franchise, Tangled, Moana and many more.
Disney Has Never Been Just For Kids
Disney films are unequivocally family-friendly, but as Cinderella's marketing strategy proved, they have never been solely for children. The company's movies have always had an adult edge to them, evidenced in part by the hard-hitting violence and deaths featured in the likes of Tarzan (Clayton's death), Brother Bear (Kenai killing Koda's mother), and Finding Nemo (Nemo's mother and siblings being eaten). Yet, said moments are only a small fraction of what makes Disney films engaging for adults. The movies are, of course, made for kids to enjoy, but their stories and themes are universal. Projects such as the original Little Mermaid, Mulan, and Up, for example, are ultimately about people figuring out their place in the world.
Disney films mask mature concepts like trauma and grief in comforting visual styles in a way that allows them to resonate with children while also having an impact on older audiences. Most of the studio's movies are heightened versions of regular human experiences, after all. It's that storytelling approach that has allowed the company's offerings to remain pivotal to family-friendly entertainment. Even outside the animated realm, Disney has also consistently told relatable stories in live-action through Maleficent, Enchanted (which is getting a sequel in Disenchanted), and Cruella, among others. Cinderella is a prime example of Disney's successful storytelling strategy. The company's movies tell relatable stories delivered in colorful packages to be enjoyed by audiences of all ages.