The Walt Disney Company and TikTok have announced a first-of-its-kind deal related to global short-form content sharing. Fans and creators are being brought together in a unique way by the pairing to promote the discovery and creation of content utilizing memorable scenes and moments from beloved Disney movies and shows via the platform.
In the coming months, the agreement will be piloted in the U.S., with other markets to follow. Content creators will have access to an expansive collection of thoughtfully curated Disney-centric themes to support fan-created content from TikTok to the Disney+ app. This includes films and series from Disney’s library of franchises and IPs.
Short form videos from participating creators who opt in to the program will live on both TikTok and Verts on Disney+. They will feature characters and stories from across the brand.
“The best storytellers are fans first,” said Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “That has always been true at Disney, and today, fans are celebrating our stories in entirely new ways. This collaboration creates a new bridge between the stories we tell and the creativity they inspire, giving creators a bigger stage to share what they’ve made, and audiences more to discover on Disney+ every day.”
“Creators are at the heart of everything we do at TikTok. Their creativity extends the life of films and shows into conversations that fans discover and share,” said Dawn Yang, Global Head of Entertainment, TikTok. “Together with Disney, we’re bringing the authentic creator expression of the TikTok community to Disney+, inviting audiences to experience the shared creativity that makes fandom so powerful.”
Built on the concept that great talent can come from anywhere, the Disney Creator Ambassador Program will enable best-in-class creators to unlock special rewards and provide them with increased visibility, access to exclusive events, and career development pathways, particularly for the next generation of creative talent.
The goal is to utilize fan-created content to allow a greater number of people to discover, engage, and celebrate together though the partnership, initiating cultural conversations through connections via these brands and experiences.
According to internal TikTok data, fans shared an average of 6.5 million film and TV-related posts on TikTok each day last year, and nearly half of surveyed viewers said they went on to watch a movie or TV show on a streaming service or television after discovering entertainment content on TikTok.
