If you think about Disney, you think of the wonderful method they interconnect the successful movie franchises to multiple other money-making entertainment ideas. If you like Star Wars the movie, you can go to Star Wars rides, you can cruise with Star Wars characters and the list is endless, but it is something Disney does very well. As an investor, when you look at other entertainment companies, you will tend to ask how do they interconnect their successful entertainment ideas?

In an article by Nicolas Van Praet of the Globe and Mail, Cirque du Soleil is pushing out from the big top into the digital world with its first video. Since 1984, over 180 million tickets have been sold and millions of people have watched some of the shows on TV.

Cirque did a market survey and the results told them to use its enviable reputation and significant intellectual property to engage with its fans more frequently and draw in new followers. Nickole Tara, a New York City based sports and entertainment executive who is leading the brand monetization strategy, noted what people told us, we want more.

Catalyst managing director and partner, Gabriel de Alba noted there were a lot of options that were never explored outside the live event business, as well as they could have been.

Ms. Tara leads a team of 50 is tasked with developing Cirque’s partnerships, branded content, consumer products, social channels, music catalogue, film and TV, and immersive entertainment.

Cirque is betting the video game with help kids and parents bond, for some of the most fervent fans often have one or more children in their household.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, in our era if a company is not developing partnerships to enhance its brand(s) then it is worth seeking alternatives. After a company has built a reputation and is profitable, it has to build on that reputation to service its existing customers and potential new ones. When you examine the reputation of the companies you invest in, how do they enhance that reputation to generate even more profits?

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.