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And the Oscar goes to….Madison Avenue.
Disney has sold out all its available commercial inventory tied to its March 15 Oscars telecast, according to John Campbell, senior vice president of entertainment and streaming solutions at Disney Advertising during an interview Thursday. He declined to comment on the cost of a 30-second ad in the glitzy event, but Disney in recent years has sought anywhere from $1.7 million to $2.2 million for commercial packages, according to people familiar with negotiations.
The 2026 Oscars telecast drew 18 returning sponsors and 24 new ones, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Live-event programming “is a major business driver for our clients,” says Campbell, who noted that demand for ads in the 2026 Oscars elevated noticeably during last year’s “upfront” sales season, when TV networks try to sell the bulk of their commercial inventory for their next cycle of programming. Disney sought to turn Oscars ad queries into bigger sales conversations tied to a growing schedule of live content that includes next year’s Super Bowl, the Grammys, and “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve.”
Though the Oscars wins significantly smaller audiences than the Super Bowl, the movie-awards show remains one of TV’s biggest events, and last year lured an average of 19.7 million viewers, marking a 1% boost over 2024’s crowd. Some advertisers try to capture attention with new commercials that introduce new product offers or showcase dynamic scenes. Cryptocurrency trader Coinbase intends to debut a new ad that shows a videogame character trying to escape from his world.
Some marketers struck deals that call for hard-to-ignore placements in and around the show. Burger King will get audible “tosses” from the show before its commercials appear on screen, says Campbell. And Mazda is involved with an effort to highlight emerging filmmakers. Two of its ads will run in the linear broadcast, while others will appear as interactive commercials on Disney streaming services where subscribers can choose the commercial they wish to see.
Other deals call for commercial appearances the next day during ABC‘s “Good Morning America” or the syndicated “Live with Kelly and Mark.” Others involve ABC’s red-carpet pre-show or an after-show. Pfizer will run interactive streaming ads that use Oscar marks and intellectual property, says Campbell.
Rolex will serve as one of the top sponsors of the Oscars for the ninth year, while Burger King joins the category for the first time. Additional advertisers include: Disney Cruise Line; Dunkin’; Eli Lilly and
Company; Eucerin; Intuit TurboTax; L’Oreal; McDonald’s; Microsoft; Miebo; Paris Baguette; Peacock;
Starbucks; State Farm; Toyota; and Verizon.
Many clients sought unique tie-ins
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English (US) ·