Disney+ Expands Interactive Ad Formats, Viewers Can Now Select Ads
Disney Plus is rolling out new interactive ad formats, including 'Ad Selector', which allows viewers to choose their preferred advertisement. These initiatives, powered by the in-house Disney eXperience Composer, aim to increase streaming ad revenue through enhanced viewer engagement and less disruptive ad experiences. Other formats include Gateway Go, Pause Ads, and Pause Plus, with reported engagement rates exceeding industry benchmarks.
Key Takeaways
- Disney+ introduces 'Ad Selector,' letting viewers choose which video advertisement they watch, resulting in high engagement rates for DXC formats.
- New formats, including Gateway Go and Pause Ads, are designed to integrate advertisements without disrupting content playback.
- Pause Plus Trivia achieved brand recall 10 times higher than industry benchmarks during beta testing, while Pause Plus Billboard showed double-digit gains in message association and unaided brand awareness.
- The Disney eXperience Composer (DXC) platform enables accelerated development and deployment of interactive ad products across Disney's streaming services.
- Disney's strategy emphasizes interactive ad experiences to grow streaming ad revenue as subscriber growth moderates across the industry.
Why It Matters
This move by Disney highlights an evolving approach to ad monetization, prioritizing viewer control and engagement to counter ad fatigue. By integrating interactive elements and leveraging its proprietary DXC platform for rapid iteration, Disney aims to distinguish its ad experience in a competitive streaming landscape. The success of formats like Ad Selector and Pause Plus suggests a blueprint for other streamers. Watch for broader adoption of opt-in and contextual ad formats as platforms seek to balance revenue goals with subscriber retention.
Additional Context
Disney's latest interactive ad rollout, particularly the 'Ad Selector' feature, follows a period of significant investment and experimentation in ad-supported streaming across the industry. For instance, in April 2025, Disney launched Gateway Go, its first DXC format, which allowed viewer interaction via QR codes and notifications, exceeding industry engagement benchmarks by over 60% (The Walt Disney Company, June 2026). This was followed by Pause Ads in October 2025 and Pause+ in winter 2025, with interactive elements like trivia and branded billboards (PPC.Land, June 2026). The strategic emphasis on interactive and viewer-centric ad experiences is becoming a key differentiator as companies like Netflix and Amazon also scale their ad-supported tiers. For example, Netflix has been refining its ad-tier offerings since its launch, with reports indicating a focus on unique ad placements and measurement capabilities (Various industry reports, Q4 2025 - Q1 2026). Warner Bros. Discovery has also been actively expanding its ad-supported content, aiming to leverage its diverse portfolio of brands (WBD investor calls, early 2026). The underlying technology that enables this rapid iteration, like Disney's DXC, is critical. This in-house development contrasts with earlier reliance on third-party ad tech, suggesting a move towards greater control and customization over ad inventory and delivery (Media Play News, June 2026). The goal for these platforms is to demonstrate higher efficacy to advertisers, justifying premium ad rates and capturing a larger share of shifting ad spending towards connected television.
Read full article at thedesk.net
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