by Thinus Ferreira
If 2021 felt awful, and you have a minute, have a look at the 10 Christmas trees for 2021 that Disney has put up all across South Africa and you are guaranteed to feel better.
The Walt Disney Company Africa placed 10 incredible Disney-themed Christmas trees in malls across South Africa as part of the Mouse House's "From Our Family to Yours' campaign this year.
The Walt Disney Company Africa started
with the Disney plush/soft toy tree project 6 years ago in 2016, with the first Disney soft toy tree at Cresta Mall in Johannesburg, the company tells TVwithThinus.
The following two
years there was a tree at the Menlyn Shopping Centre, followed by Canal Walk in Cape Town in
2019 in.
Last year Disney partnered with 5 shopping malls across South Africa – with
Frozen-themed trees at Gateway Theatre of Shopping (Durban), Canal Walk (Cape Town), Clearwater Mall and Sandton City (both in Johannesburg) and Woodlands Mall (Pretoria).
This year, Disney Africa went for a record of new record of 10 Christmas trees: Gateway
Theatre of Shopping (Durban), Midlands Mall (Pietermaritzburg), Canal Walk,
Somerset Mall and Cape Gate (all in Cape Town), Sandton City, Clearwater Mall,
Rosebank Mall and The Glen (all in Johannesburg) and Woodlands Mall (Pretoria).
"Disney usually partners with just the
malls on this project but this year it is a partnership with Nedbank4Me
PennyPower. This year the charity beneficiary is
Smile Foundation with all donations received at the donation stations around
the trees in addition to the Minnie and Mickey plush toys going towards this
organisation," Disney says.
Asked about what it takes to pull of 10 Christmas trees in 10 malls across South Africa is a very short space of time, Disney says that "The logistics around the trees is a
challenge - this year especially with a global shipping crisis delaying the
delivery of plush toys from abroad".
"The trees were meant to have gone up
mid-November but there has been a delay," Disney admits but the trees were all up by the first
week of December - just in time for the
school holidays and the festive holiday period.
"It is also a challenge dealing with
different malls as each mall has their own décor installation agency who they use
for their Christmas décor and trees."
"So, with 10 malls, there are various teams
to keep track of," Disney says.
"But they are all
extremely professional and experts when it comes to Christmas tree
building. The Disney team worked directly with the décor agencies and
assist them by coordinating the plush toy and Disney specific décor deliveries
and timings and creative designs."
"Disney also works closely with the
marketing managers of the various malls and property groups in terms of
branding and messaging around the tree. Disney also liaises with the
chosen charity and facilitates the dealings between the malls and the charity. This year Disney also served as the facilitator between Nedbank and the
different malls."
Cape Gate
Clearwater
Gateway
Midlands
Rosebank
Sandton
Somerset
The Glen
Woodlands