Disney and TikTok just signed a global deal that puts fan-made TikTok videos inside Disney+. Short-form videos from creators who opt in will live in both places at once: on TikTok, and in Verts on Disney+. It pilots in the U.S. in the coming months, with other markets intended to follow.
The videos will feature characters and stories from across Disney’s brands, including Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and FX. TikTok is also giving its creators access to assets tied to hundreds of films and series from Disney’s library, so the raw material is coming from Disney’s side, not just the fans’ phones.
What do creators get out of it?
There’s a program attached called the Disney Creator Ambassador Program, run jointly by both companies. It’s tiered, and it hands out special rewards, more visibility, access to exclusive events, and career development pathways for creators Disney and TikTok pick as best-in-class.
“The best storytellers are fans first,” said Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer at The Walt Disney Company. “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.”
Dawn Yang, Global Head of Entertainment at TikTok, framed it around the community: “Their creativity extends the life of films and shows into conversations that fans discover and share.”
Why is Disney doing this?
The numbers explain a lot. According to internal TikTok data, fans shared an average of 6.5 million film and TV posts on TikTok every single day last year. Nearly half of surveyed viewers said they went on to watch a movie or show on a streaming service or TV after finding entertainment content on TikTok.
Six and a half million a day. That’s the audience Disney is walking toward instead of waiting on.
The Verts feed on Disney+ isn’t new territory for the company, and Disney says the TikTok videos there will refresh regularly to keep subscribers in current fan conversations. Park fans who follow everything happening across Disney’s parks and brands will recognize the pattern: the company keeps pushing its stories into whatever format people are already using.
Disney hasn’t said which creators are participating, when exactly the U.S. pilot starts, or which markets come after it.
What to know
Nothing changes for a Disney+ subscriber right now. When the pilot does open in the U.S., the fan videos show up inside the app you already pay for, no separate signup mentioned. Creators who want in have to opt into the program, and the Disney Creator Ambassador Program is the piece worth watching if you make theme park or fandom content for a living.
Source: The Walt Disney Company
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