In an upbeat sign for the Oscars, Disney has sold out advertising inventory for Sunday’s telecast, with rates rising by double digits over 2025 levels.
An average 30-second spot on the show is going for more than $2 million, according to a person familiar with the sales process.
Last year’s telecast brought in 19.7 million viewers, the fourth straight gain as the award show regained its footing after Covid. The upswing last year was aided in part by an earlier start time (7 p.m. ET instead of 8 p.m.) and the telecast’s availability on Hulu. Both elements will be in effect again this year, and 2025 host Conan O’Brien is also returning after getting positive reviews.
John Campbell, SVP, Entertainment and Streaming Solutions, Disney Advertising, told Deadline in an interview the strong results attest to advertisers’ continued appetite for live programming. As the parent of ESPN, Disney looks to use live events more than most companies, and Campbell pointed to a packed corridor coming less than a year from now. Between January and March, the company will bring to market the College Football Playoffs, the Grammys, the Super Bowl and the Oscars.
“The demand started much, much earlier” than last year, Campbell said. “Coming right out of last year’s show, there were creative brainstorms like we’ve never had before. … Brands are asking us much earlier to start to have those conversations. And I also think that brands just in general are planning longer-term for their live event strategies.”
Despite the fact that the audience of almost 20 million viewers is significantly down from the peak of the Academy Awards a generation ago, the Oscars stands out as a non-sports event capable of driving reach.
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Disney has pushed a “content everywhere” strategy, offering brands presence across linear TV, streaming, social and digital. The telecast will also feature a live call-out by the announcer to a quick-serve restaurant, and streaming viewers will be shown ads using IP from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the first time.
In all, 42 advertisers will be represented, an increase from last year. Eighteen ad buyers are returning, while 24 are new this year. Rolex is back as a “proud sponsor” (a specific designation indicating total spend), and Burger King is aboard in that same slot for the first time.
English (US) ·