Disney sells out Oscar's advertising slots in the United States

Disney Advertising Sales has sold out its commercial inventory for Sunday’s Oscars telecast. The 94th edition will be held on Sunday, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. “With Hollywood’s most iconic night just around the corner, we’re honored to support the best and brightest in film in collaboration with our unrivaled roster of brand partners,” President, Disney Advertising Rita Ferro said. “The Oscars pushes the boundaries of creativity and storytelling, and advertisers that tap into that cultural zeitgeist on the right screen at the right time are able to create the most impact across all categories and audiences.”

The list of sponsors is led by newcomers Crypto.com and, Pfizer, as well as returning sponsors Rolex and Verizon. The additions, known as proud sponsors get four spots in the telecast. Some of the digital sponsors for the event include Paramount Plus, CNN Plus, Discovery Plus, Disney Plus, and Peacock. Digital companies Amazon, Google, Meta, and Snapchat have also signed up, recognizing there is still life in good old broadcast TV.

Other participating sponsors include Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob, Bacardi’s Bombay and Sapphire brands, Bank of America, Best Buy, Capital One, Corona, Eli Lilly, Geico, Incyte, Kellogg, Kraft, Lionsgate, Lucid Motors’ Macy’s Mastercard, Reckitt’s Mucinex, State Farm, Stellantis, Subway, and Walt Disney Studios. The company's local offering, inclusive of Hulu, locked in a broad range of sponsors by providing advertisers geotargeting capabilities to reach audiences at the local and regional levels. Local Oscar advertisers include Mercedes Benz, Spectrum, Henkel, BMW, and Lexus.

While traditional TV viewership is dropping, and even major events like the "Academy Awards" have seen significant rating decreases, streaming services have clamored to be seen by movie fans on the ABC broadcast. Revenues for the broadcast, however, are in line with last year, with prices for individual spots up from a year ago. Digital companies Amazon, Google, Meta, and Snapchat have also signed up, recognizing there is still life in good old broadcast TV.

With major theater closures and film release delays, the 2021 Oscar telecast drew 10.4 million viewers, less than half the 23.6 million tuning in in 2020. Ratings peaked in 2014 with 43.7 million viewing for the show, long regarded as one of TV's biggest draws after the Super Bowl. The company highlighted Oscar advertisers' ability to roll out new creative and new campaigns to help generate higher ad awareness and purchase consideration and Oscar viewers are more likely to recommend brands seen during the show.