At this year's CES in Las Vegas, Disney showcased significant advancements in its advertising capabilities, particularly the expansion of its “Magic Words” feature to live programming. This announcement was part of the media giant's fifth annual Tech and Data Showcase, held at The Chelsea theatre within the Cosmopolitan hotel.

Disney Advertising President, Rita Ferro, addressed an audience, highlighting the importance of emotional engagement in advertising. “Emotional engagement has the power to make us feel something deeply meaningful. And that is the most valuable currency of them all,” she stated. This initiative aims to utilise what Ferro terms “scene-level metadata” to connect brands strategically with prominent sports and live entertainment events.

Disney has partnered with agency Magna Global and brands such as Chipotle and T-Mobile to test this new technology, achieving promising outcomes according to Ferro. She noted that “emotional connections to key moments boosted brand perception and engagement significantly,” which underscores the anticipated impact of the technology on advertising strategies.

Furthermore, through his presentation, Josh Mattison, Executive Vice President of Digital Planning & Operations at Disney Advertising, shared insights on the integration of Hulu and ESPN+ into Disney+. He indicated that the combined offering has led to increased viewer engagement. “People are watching more content when we offer it in a seamless, integrated experience,” he remarked, adding that this multi-platform approach is “not cannibalizing viewership — it’s expanding it.”

This showcase also included Disney's announcement of a user base comprising 157 million monthly active users across its streaming services—Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, with 112 million users located in the United States. These figures signal the vast audience Disney aims to connect with through its innovative advertising approaches.

In addition to unveiling the enhanced advertising features, Disney introduced separate initiatives focused on live programming, intended to allow brands to capitalise on spontaneous sports moments. The showcase underscored Disney's commitment to leveraging technology to enrich the advertising landscape, ultimately aiming to foster a more meaningful connection between brands and viewers.

Source: Noah Wire Services