Disney Has the Next-Gen Targeted Ad Technology And It’s About to Unleash it on You

We’ve all been there. You head down a shopping rabbit hole of items you have no plans to buy. But then something strange starts to happen.

Every time you look at an electronic device, no matter the website, ads for that weird item appear in your stream. And those ads follow you from your personal devices to work and back again. And no matter how hard you try, you can’t shake that item.

But since Disney+ started offering a lower-priced tier with advertising, The Walt Disney Company has been working on its ad technology. Now, it appears that they have perfected the smart bomb of consumer advertising. And now it’s coming for you.

At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Disney executives took to the stage to tout their new advertising technology that will allow advertisers to target specific groups of consumers around the world through Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

Rita Ferro, Disney’s president of global advertising, told the crowd:

2023 was Disney’s biggest year in our history for investments in ad technology, including the global expansion of Disney+ with ads. Our tech stack was intentionally built for streaming, to work seamlessly across the global marketplace. It was made for you to buy once and deliver everywhere.

Joe Earley, Disney’s president of direct-to-consumer streaming, touted the vast numbers of streamers that the Disney Company can allow advertisers to access across platforms. Disney has 225 million subscribers across Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+ in India.

Disney CEO Bob Iger opened the proceedings with a video message to the crowd, saying:

We know from a century of experience that when we marry our exceptional creativity with our relentless commitment to innovation, the results are never less than extraordinary. The possibilities before us have never been more exciting and I’m so pleased for you to hear from the team today about the trails they’re blazing.

Disney’s new technology will put targeted ads on Disney streaming services specifically based on what you’re watching and your previous viewing habits. But the Disney ad server was not the only new innovation the company touted for getting directly into the audience’s pocket.

Disney executives also unveiled Gateway Shop, which is “Disney’s first seamless, shoppable TV ad experience.” So not only will marketers be able to send out targeted ads, but the audience will also have the opportunity to purchase those products directly from Disney+.

D23 Announcement

Besides the announcements from Disney Advertising, executives also announced the D23 Expo. This year’s D23 will be held in Anaheim in August, but there will be a second expo for fans in Brazil in November.

Disney chief brand officer Asad Ayaz told the audience:

It’s akin to our very own Super Bowl or Comic Con weekend, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for your brands to connect with fans of all ages and families from across the globe.

Some parts of the D23 event in Anaheim will also be available for live streaming for the first time for fans who cannot attend the event in person.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.