The Walt Disney Company is taking a significant step toward integrating its streaming films and TV shows with commercial opportunities by launching virtual “storefronts” on Disney Plus, ESPN Plus and Hulu, the company revealed this week.
The integration will allow viewers to buy products and take advantage of offers that complement the shows and movies available on Disney-owned platforms.
Disney is partnering with ad-tech startup Shopsense to develop these new storefronts, which will be connected to select advertisements across Disney’s streaming services. The platform will allow users to purchase products, fashions, and offers tied directly to the shows, movies, or sporting events they’re watching.
Additionally, Disney is collaborating with digital delivery service Gopuff to roll out a virtual “concession stand,” enabling subscribers to order snacks, drinks, and candy mid-stream.
“I’m excited to see streaming ads finally being optimized for streaming, rather than just replicating the linear experience,” Jamie Power, the Senior Vice President of Addressable Sales at Disney, said in a statement. “Advertisers are recognizing the shift. By connecting retail media signals to our content, we’re helping brands create more personal, actionable and measurable experiences, enabling shoppable storytelling and delivering solutions that truly move the needle.”
The initiative highlights a growing trend in the media industry as advertisers seek more direct paths to purchase. While commercials have long entertained or informed, their ultimate goal remains driving sales, a goal that interactive commerce tools could help achieve more effectively.
Disney is one of several companies that have launched shoppable ad formats in recent years. NBC Universal and Paramount have each done so through their platforms, as have Roku and Amazon. Some of the shoppable ads are available through pause ads and carousels that display when on-demand content is streamed; a limited number of companies have successfully trialed delivering shoppable ads during live events as well.
