As Disney heads into its Upfront amid a new era of leadership, the company is redefining how it brings the full power of its portfolio to advertisers. With Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro and President and Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden driving a unified vision, this year’s presentation highlights how storytelling, sports, technology, and platforms work together to create cultural impact at scale.
Rita Ferro, President, Global Advertising, The Walt Disney Company, shares how that vision is shaping Disney’s advertising strategy, what differentiates Disney in an increasingly competitive marketplace, and why the company’s unique combination of trust, fandom, and innovation continues to set the standard for brands looking to break through.
This is Disney’s first Upfront in a new era of leadership under Josh D’Amaro and Dana Walden. How is that broader vision shaping this year’s presentation and Disney’s next chapter?
This year’s Upfront reflects the power of Disney operating as one company. You’ll see the alignment, ambition, and momentum Josh and Dana are bringing to the business through the lens of One Disney — bringing together our storytelling, sports, technology, and platforms in ways that create more value for our brand partners.
And while people often think about the Upfront as the show itself, for us it’s much bigger than that. It’s our opportunity to engage the advertising community around the unique value Disney can deliver for brands and their businesses. You’ll see that come to life through a high-energy presentation featuring some of the biggest stars in entertainment and sports, alongside announcements across our portfolio.
There’s also incredible momentum heading into this year’s Upfront, with Disney bringing together an extraordinary lineup of live sports and entertainment moments over the next year.
At the heart of this next chapter are three things that define Disney’s advantage: trust and fandom and innovation. The emotional connection people have with Disney stories is one of the most powerful forces in media, creating a unique platform for brands to show up in culture. We’re also continuing to invest in technology — from AI-powered advertising innovation to a global streaming footprint that gives advertisers more precision, scale, and flexibility than ever before. And while technology serves as a powerful catalyst for creativity, it is storytelling and human connection that create lasting impact.
We’re uniquely positioned to honor the storytelling fans already love while creating the next generation of experiences for consumers and brands.
Disney is unique in that its businesses don’t just coexist, they amplify each other. What does that look like from an advertising perspective, and how does this unified approach change the value proposition you’re bringing to Madison Avenue at this year’s Upfront?
Disney’s strength isn’t just scale. We bring brands into the most high‑impact cultural moments in sports and entertainment and then extend that reach across platforms through the power of our data and technology stack.
Historically, the Upfront was about securing placement in a limited amount of premium inventory — making sure advertisers had a seat at the table for the biggest moments on television. Today, the conversation is broader and more strategic; it’s about brands harnessing the full Disney ecosystem — and our reach and influence in linear, digital, and streaming, to delight audiences and deliver results.
Whether it’s locking in multi-year partnerships, increasing commitment for first-to-market opportunities, or leveraging our data to precisely reach the right viewers, we’re offering more customized ways for partners to show up in culture with Disney. Our marketplace has never been more collaborative, flexible or effective — and we’re seeing that pay off across every category, from the largest enterprise brands to the rapidly growing emerging market sector.
This Upfront season, there are many companies both in media and tech vying for the attention of consumers. With all these players chasing the same ad dollars, what makes Disney the place where brands should plant their flag?
Advertisers have always wanted to align with the biggest cultural moments and connect with consumers through the content they care about most — but they also need scale to drive their business.
What’s evolving now is that attention and engagement matter more than ever. It’s not just about reaching audiences; it’s about reaching audiences in environments where they’re deeply engaged.
That makes Disney and all our brands and platforms the obvious partner. We reach over 200 million ad-supported viewers each month, and among premium streaming platforms, Disney also leads in time spent — a strong indicator of audience engagement and connection. We also continue to see massive social engagement around our content. ESPN, for example, was the first-ever sports platform to surpass one billion social views.
That combination of scale, storytelling, and engagement is what makes Disney different. Our franchises and Originals shape culture year-round, while live sports and entertainment moments bring audiences together in ways few companies can replicate.
That’s why brands don’t just show up with Disney — they break through.
Disney has the Super Bowl, CFP Championship, Grammys©, and Oscars© all within weeks of each other in 2027. How do you pitch that concentration of cultural moments?
Advertisers consistently tell us they want to maximize the power of live — to spark real engagement and be part of the cultural conversation. Increasingly, they’re approaching these moments with a campaign mindset, looking for ways to connect across platforms, formats, and fan communities.
In 2027, we’ll deliver one of the most premium stretches of live events in the industry kicking off in January: The College Football Playoff Championship, the Grammys, the Super Bowl, and culminating in the Oscars in March. Together, they create an unparalleled runway for brands to reach audiences at scale across both sports and entertainment, on broadcast and streaming.
And because Disney’s ecosystem is so interconnected, we can help advertisers build momentum before, during, and long after each event.
How does ESPN as a standalone streaming product change the advertising conversation?
The launch of ESPN’s direct‑to‑consumer offering unlocks even greater reach for advertisers by connecting brands with fans wherever and however they watch sports. Fans don’t just want to watch — they want to interact, personalize, and engage.
The enhanced ESPN app brings everything together for the first time: Multiview, integrated stats, betting insights, fantasy tools, VERTS and a personalized SportsCenter for You. That creates new opportunities for addressability and engagement across live, studio, and original programming.
For advertisers, it means access to audiences in all the places that matter to sports fans — and we’re already seeing new categories lean in. Our combination of rights, technology, and fan engagement makes it easier than ever for brands to show up in meaningful ways.
If advertisers and fans remember just one thing from this year’s Upfront, what should it be?
Reach is everywhere — but relevance at scale is rare. That’s what Disney delivers. Sports, News and Entertainment storytelling don’t just capture attention; they define culture. That fandom is distinct to Disney, and it gives brands the ability to break through across every touchpoint in the consumer journey.
