Disney deepens CTV strategy with new shoppable formats, ‘advergaming’

Topgolf served as charter advertiser for a Beat the Clock challenge ad format that can be played using a TV remote.

Dive Brief:

• Disney is trying to level up its connected TV (CTV) strategy with new ad formats that integrate games and shoppable features, according to a press release.
• The gamified offerings, or “advergaming” formats, are coming exclusively to Hulu and ESPN as part of a partnership with BrightLine. A trivia game and beat-the-clock challenge are available at launch, with Topgolf acting as charter advertiser of the latter. 
• Disney also worked with artificial intelligence firm Kerv on three formats, called Sync, L-Bar and Impulse, that use a mix of QR codes, graphics and product carousels to drive transactions via CTV. Target and Nespresso tested Impulse for campaigns running earlier in the spring.   

Dive Insight:
CTV has become a magnet for ad spending but publishers are still working through ways to take better advantage of the channel’s digital capabilities compared to static linear TV. Disney’s new ad formats represent a bid at making brand messaging more interactive, with the hopes of keeping viewers glued to the screen for longer and, in some cases, sending them offsite to complete purchases through tactics like QR codes. 
“Brands come to Disney with the intent of delivering new, unique advertising experiences for consumers that both drive engagement and provide a seamless viewing experience,” said Jamie Power, senior vice president of addressable sales at Disney, in a statement. “Offering expanded shoppable ads and advergaming formats to marketers will allow them to connect with audiences in a more differentiated and dynamic way.”
The offerings developed with Kerv follow Disney’s rollout of a shoppable product native to streaming called Gateway Shop in January, which has been adopted by marketers like Unilever. The commerce-oriented ad formats are available on properties including Disney+ and Disney Advertising’s programmatic marketplace. 
Nespresso and Target already piloted Impulse ads, which display a product image above a QR code and a callout of “scan to shop” to encourage viewers to make a transaction via their phones. The technology had a role in a spring campaign from Target that starred Kristen Wiig reprising a “Saturday Night Live” character as she promoted the retailer’s revamped loyalty program. Disney did not break out any results from the efforts.    
Shoppable ads have become popular among publishers that want to demonstrate that running campaigns on their services can be tied more closely to sales. Amazon recently introduced a similar concept for Prime Video, a streaming platform that began showing commercials earlier this year.   
Gamified ads, or advergaming, is more experimental territory, and Disney and BrightLine claim their new formats are first-to-market for CTV. Quiz Show provides multi-question trivia during ad breaks while Beat the Clock tasks users with completing timed challenges that can be themed around a brand. A version of the format for charter advertiser Topgolf and agency Mediahub that debuted earlier this month involves using buttons on a TV remote to do more powerful golf swings on a virtual course.
“At BrightLine, we believe in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in advertising, and these interactive advergaming experiences are a perfect example of how we can engage viewers in new and exciting ways,” said Michael Bologna, chief accelerator at BrightLine, in a statement.
Disney has been expanding its CTV strategy as it tries to turn streaming into a more profitable enterprise. Around its upfront presentation, the entertainment giant struck a pact with Walmart that leverages the big-box store’s retail media to better target and measure CTV campaigns. 

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