Disney+ is preparing to introduce vertical video later this year, signaling a strategic shift aimed at increasing daily engagement as competition intensifies across the streaming and digital video landscape.
The initiative was unveiled during Disney’s Tech + Data Showcase at CES in Las Vegas, where the company outlined a broader push to align its streaming platforms more closely with contemporary viewing behaviors—particularly those shaped by social and mobile-first video consumption. Alongside vertical video, Disney announced several advertising-focused tools, including a new “brand impact” measurement framework and a video-generation system designed to help advertisers adapt existing creative assets for connected TV environments.
According to Disney, vertical video on Disney+ will evolve gradually and be tested across multiple content categories. The goal is to create a personalized, dynamic feed that spans entertainment, sports, and news, positioning the service as a destination audiences return to daily rather than solely for long-form viewing.
Learning from ESPN and Platform Precedent
Disney’s confidence in the format stems in part from early experimentation on ESPN. The company introduced vertical video—branded internally as “Verts”—with the relaunch of the ESPN app last August. That rollout provided insights into how short-form, portrait-oriented content can complement traditional programming without fragmenting the user experience.
Erin Teague, EVP of Product Management for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, said the company remains flexible in how vertical video will appear on Disney+. Possible formats include original short-form productions, reworked scenes from films or series, curated social-style clips, or a hybrid of all three.
Rather than functioning as promotional teasers, the vertical videos are intended to stand on their own as lightweight, habitual viewing. Teague described them as “snackable” experiences designed to fit naturally into daily routines, emphasizing that Disney wants the format to feel native to how users already consume content.
Meeting Audiences Where They Are
The move reflects a broader industry acknowledgment that younger audiences—particularly Gen Z and Gen Alpha—do not engage with streaming platforms in the same way earlier cohorts did. Short-form video platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have reshaped expectations around immediacy, discovery, and frequency.
Teague pointed to YouTube’s gradual integration of Shorts into its core platform as a relevant parallel. While initially seen as mobile-centric, YouTube has since noted that a majority of Shorts viewing now occurs in living-room settings, underscoring how format and device boundaries continue to blur.
For Disney, the implication is clear: long-form premium content remains central, but it no longer defines the entirety of audience engagement.
Advertising and the Live Content Advantage
The vertical video announcement arrived alongside a broader update on Disney’s advertising strategy. Global advertising president Rita Ferro highlighted the company’s continued strength in live programming, particularly sports. ESPN accounted for roughly one-third of all live sports viewing in 2025, significantly outpacing competitors.
Live sports, Ferro noted, remain a critical cultural and commercial anchor—not only for Disney platforms but across the streaming ecosystem. Events such as Christmas Day viewing further reinforce sports’ outsized role in delivering audience reach and advertiser impact.
To support marketers navigating an increasingly fragmented environment, Disney also introduced a new Brand Impact Metric. The tool combines Disney’s first-party data with third-party measurement to better illustrate how brand advertising and performance-driven campaigns interact.
Dana McGraw, SVP of Data and Measurement Science, described the metric as a way to clarify how exposure translates into outcomes, offering marketers a more cohesive view of campaign effectiveness across formats and platforms.
A Gradual but Meaningful Shift
Disney+’s move into vertical video does not represent a departure from its core identity, but rather an expansion of how that identity is expressed. By layering short-form experiences alongside traditional series and films, Disney is acknowledging that engagement is no longer defined by runtime alone.
As streaming platforms continue to compete not just for subscriptions but for attention, Disney’s approach suggests that the next phase of growth may hinge less on scale—and more on frequency.
Enjoyed This Story? Subscribe to EntertainLens for more entertainment insights.
