One year after its rebrand, Disney XD is poised to battle with the big boys for a share of advertising dollars targeted to young men due to a strong 2009 ratings performance and several new programming projects debuting over the next year.
Since its launch in February 2009, the former Toon Disney has experienced double-digit increases in viewership in key young male demos, including a 40% increase in its target ofv boys 6 to 14, according to Disney Channel Worldwide president of entertainment Gary Marsh.
Disney XD has successfully integrated new original series such as Aaron Stone, Zeek and Luther, I’m In the Band, and Kick Buttowski: Suburban Daredevil with off-Disney Channel shows such as Suite Life on Deck and animated series Phineas and Ferb.
Marsh said the network hasn’t forsaken female viewers: 40% percent of the network’s audience consists of young girls. “The goal was to target boys but never exclude girls, which gives advertisers a much bigger opportunity,” he said.
Marsh would not predict how well Disney XD would perform in the kids’ upfront market, but believes the network’s ratings growth should help sell the network’s future prospects to advertisers.
The network will be fighting for boys-targeted ad dollars in a very crowded marketplace that includes Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network and The Hub, the new joint venture between Discovery Communications and toy maker Hasbro, to launch this fall. Nickelodeon will present its slate of new programming this week during its upfront in New York.
Disney Sells ‘Brand XD’
Published: March 8, 2010
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