Disney has expanded its suite of interactive advertising formats on Disney+, as the media giant looks to create new revenue opportunities while maintaining what it describes as a viewer-first streaming experience.
The company said its advertising technology has evolved significantly over the past year, driven by its in-house Disney eXperience Composer (DXC) platform, which enables the rapid development, testing and deployment of new ad formats across its streaming services.
The first of these formats, Gateway Go, launched on Disney+ in April 2025. The feature allows viewers to respond to offers and promotions through QR codes, email links or push notifications. Disney said engagement rates exceeded industry benchmarks by more than 60%.
That was followed by the introduction of Pause Ads in October 2025, displaying brand messages when viewers pause content rather than interrupting programmes with traditional commercial breaks.
Disney subsequently expanded the format with Pause+, adding interactive elements including billboards, trivia features and content carousels designed to increase engagement and provide advertisers with additional storytelling opportunities.
According to Disney, beta testing showed Pause+ Trivia generated brand recall levels ten times higher than industry benchmarks, while the Billboard format delivered double-digit improvements in message association and unaided brand awareness.
The latest addition to the portfolio is Ad Selector, launched earlier this year. The format allows viewers to choose which advertising creative they wish to watch, giving audiences greater control over the experience. Disney said the format has generated the highest engagement rates of any DXC product launched so far.
The ad products are now available across Disney+’s growing advertising-supported service and can be used alongside content spanning entertainment, franchises, sport and news.
Alex Combs, Vice President of Product Management for Ad Platforms at Disney Entertainment and ESPN, said the speed of deployment had been a key factor in the programme’s success.
“Each release informed the next, enabling teams to achieve parity across platforms and scale rapidly while maintaining high creative and performance standards,” he said.
The initiative reflects a broader industry trend as streaming services increasingly seek to grow advertising revenues. Disney, alongside rivals including Netflix, Amazon and Warner Bros Discovery, has expanded ad-supported offerings as subscriber growth matures and advertisers look for new ways to reach connected TV audiences.
By focusing on interactive formats that appear during natural viewing pauses or give viewers greater choice, Disney is positioning its advertising strategy around engagement rather than interruption, as streaming platforms continue to experiment with alternatives to traditional television commercial breaks.
Source: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2026/06/08/disney-scales-interactive-advertising-on-disney/
