Disney expands ad tech in Europe

Disney has expanded its customer data platform, known as the audience graph, to Europe.

This decision is part of the company’s efforts to strengthen its advertising technology operations globally. The expansion follows a similar rollout in Latin America last year.

The audience graph, along with Disney’s identity solution Bridge ID, will be introduced across European markets in phases.

This will allow advertisers to target audiences while considering local languages and regulations.

Furthermore, Disney has enabled advertisers to purchase ad inventory for live events on its platforms, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

This new unified ad server features real-time biddable automation for live programming, which is important for live sports content.

🔗 Source: Axios

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Disney’s evolution from pure content to ad-tech powerhouse reflects broader industry transformation

Disney’s European data expansion is part of a multi-year transformation that began well before its full Hulu acquisition in 2023.

The company’s advertising strategy dates back to 2019 when it first partnered with Publicis Groupe, which provided access to detailed consumer data for targeted advertising across Disney properties1.

This latest move builds on Disney’s existing 157 million global monthly active users on ad-supported streaming tiers, with 112 million in the U.S. alone, creating a massive data foundation that rivals pure tech companies2.

Disney’s cross-platform approach, combining theme parks, merchandise, and media properties, gives it unique first-party data advantages that streaming-only competitors lack, allowing for more sophisticated audience targeting.

The expansion reflects a broader industry trend where traditional media companies are transforming into technology and data organizations to compete with digital natives.

2️⃣ Ad-supported streaming emerges as the new battleground in the post-subscription growth era

The streaming industry is experiencing a fundamental shift toward ad-supported models, with Disney+ generating $786 million in ad revenue in 2023, slightly outpacing Netflix’s $685 million3.