Walmart and Disney have announced a partnership that will allow advertisers to use Walmart’s shopping data to target audiences for Disney’s streaming services Disney Plus and Hulu. This collaboration will utilize clean-room technology to combine datasets from Walmart with Disney’s proprietary Audience Graph tools. This will enable advertisers to reach customers who shop with Walmart both online and in-store and who are streaming Disney content.
Ryan Mayward, senior vice president of retail media sales for Walmart Connect, highlighted the potential impact of this partnership, stating that approximately 145 million customers shop at Walmart weekly. By tapping into this vast data pool, advertisers will be able to leverage insights from Walmart’s customers to better target their ads across Disney’s streaming portfolio. The partnership will enable marketers to reach customers at every stage of the sales funnel, increasing the effectiveness of their campaigns.
Disney will also be joining Walmart’s Partner Lab, which includes other major players in the TV and social platforms space like TikTok, Roku, and NBCUniversal. Through this collaboration, companies can test new ad formats and measurement techniques, further enhancing their advertising capabilities. Initial testing of the partnership is set to begin in the second quarter, focusing on categories such as consumer electronics, automotive, apparel, and more.
This announcement follows Walmart’s agreement to acquire smart TV maker Vizio for $2.3 billion in February, a move aimed at bolstering its ad business. However, the acquisition has raised concerns among privacy and competition advocates. These groups are urging the government to investigate the deal, warning that it could potentially solidify Walmart’s dominance in the advertising and content market, creating a captive audience for its services.
The partnership between Walmart and Disney represents a strategic move by both companies to capitalize on their respective strengths in retail and entertainment. By combining Walmart’s vast shopper data with Disney’s popular streaming services, advertisers will have unprecedented access to audiences across different platforms. This collaboration is expected to drive innovation in ad formats and measurement, setting a new standard for targeted advertising.
As the partnership progresses, it will be essential to monitor how advertisers leverage the combined data to enhance their campaigns and engage with customers. The potential impact on the advertising and content market, as well as any regulatory scrutiny that may arise, will be critical factors to watch. Ultimately, the Walmart-Disney partnership has the potential to reshape the advertising landscape and redefine how brands connect with audiences in the streaming era.