A true crime series about male strippers, arson and murder-for-hire, marketed with lines like “Women get horny!” and “Blood will spill”? It’s safe to say that Disney+ isn’t the most obvious destination for a show like Welcome to Chippendales.
On the surface, the commission looks risky – a borderline negligent brand mismatch. Surely Welcome to Chippendales’ violent and sexual content threatens the wholesome, family-friendly reputation Disney has spent decades building up, exploiting and preserving? Surprisingly, no – but this isn’t anything to do with the series itself.
Welcome to Chippendales is a great example of the control Disney now has over its brand and the ways it takes advantage of streaming technologies to ensure shows circulate with the “right” audiences.
