Disney Says 2024-25 Upfront Ad Sales Climbed 5% From Prior Year

Disney Advertising reported a record level of upfront commitments, with particular strength in sports and streaming, as the 2024-25 posted a 5% year-over-year gain in revenue and volume.

The news comes more than two months after the media giant’s annual upfronts pitch to advertisers in New York. This year’s event at Javits Center was a decidedly splashier event than last year’s edition, featuring remarks by stars like Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone and a rare onstage appearance by Disney CEO Bob Iger.

The increase in volume (which reached 10% in streaming) was attributed by the company to the growth and global expansion of the ad tier of Disney+ as well as live sports. The company also cited momentum from multi-year deals, growth in women’s sports sponsorships, multicultural partnerships and investments from independent agencies.

More than 40% of total upfront commitments came in the form of addressable budgets, including streaming and digital. Disney’s first-party data and insights saw sizable gains, and performance marketing deals were up 19% over the prior year’s upfront.

Disney’s report follows NBCUniversal’s announcement last month of “modest growth” in its upfront sales compared with a year ago. NBCU did not offer any specific figures in major categories, however. Traditionally, the upfront process used to wrap up in a matter of days rather than months. Today, a host of complexities and competition from digital platforms have extended the process significantly.

Strong-performing categories in the 2024-25 upfront, Disney said, include international auto, beverages, food, personal care, financial services and healthcare. Travel, specifically hotels and vacation rentals, was another strong category, as was restaurants, led by the quick-service subcategory. 

“Disney’s unrivaled storytelling paired with our unparalleled ad technology and data capabilities delivers the outcomes our partners continue to push us on, and we continue to raise the bar,” said Rita Ferro, President, Global Advertising, Disney. “Our growth in the number of marketers we work with and the increased investments in advertising innovation, demonstrates Disney’s differentiator. As we double down on our commitment to world-class storytelling, automation, and new ad products, demonstrating growth for partners underpins our focus for the future.”