Disney Advertising Sales said that the commercial inventory for Sunday’s Oscars telecast is sold out.
The top tier of sponsors — ”proud sponsors” — include newcomers Crypto.com and, Pfizer, as well as returning sponsors Rolex and Verizon. Proud sponsors get four spots in the telecast.
While traditional TV viewership is dropping, and even major events like the Academy Awards have seen their ratings plunge, streaming services have clamored to be seen by movie fans on the ABC broadcast.
Among the Oscars participating sponsors are 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.
Revenues for the broadcast are in line with last year, with prices for individual spots up from a year ago.
“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,” said Rita Ferro, president, Disney Advertising. “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.”
Disney Advertising’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 level. Local Oscar advertisers include Mercedes Benz, Spectrum, Henkel, BMW and Lexus.
With movie theaters largely closed and many major film releases delayed, 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.
Disney noted that Oscar advertisers often roll out new creative and new campaigns. The broadcast helps generate higher ad awareness and purchase consideration and Oscar viewers are more likely to recommend brands seen during the show, the company said.
The 94th Oscars 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. ■
