Disney Advertising and Ally Flip the Game with Women-Focused SportsCenter Takeovers on ESPN
WEBWIRE – Thursday, July 27, 2023
To further their ongoing commitment of driving greater coverage of womens sports, Disney Advertising and Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) have created two first-of-their-kind SportsCenter takeovers, with an emphasis on incredible womens sports moments. The takeovers, which feature exclusive content, are a continuation of the game-changing multi-year, multimillion dollar sponsorship package Ally and Disney announced earlier this year.
Set to be anchored by Elle Duncan and Nicole Briscoe, the SportsCenter takeovers will be led primarily by an all-female production team and are scheduled to air both in-show and during commercial time throughout the 11 p.m. ET editions of SportsCenter on July 27 and August 11, 2023.
At Disney, we prioritize amplifying womens sports and collaborating with like-minded brands to tell diverse sports stories, said Deidra Maddock, VP, Disney Advertising Sports Brand Solutions. This particular execution with Ally marks the first time that weve developed such a unique combination of tactics and solutions to elevate women in sports and were incredibly proud to be working alongside them on this initiative.
Disney prides itself on its inclusive approach to storytelling, including sports. When it comes to content development and casting in front of and behind the camera, leveling the playing field is not only a company priority, but also a business imperative. Ally shares this commitment to inclusivity and equity, as evidenced by the digital financial services brands landmark pledge to reach equal spending on advertising between mens and womens sports by 2027. Allys media investment with Disney was an important step in advancing this pledge, and both companies desire to increase representation through engaging, women-focused content.
ESPN is a leader in womens sports coverage, and Ally is a leader in intentional and equitable sports media investments. Together, were demonstrating our shared commitment to elevating womens sports, said Stephanie Marciano, head of sports and entertainment marketing at Ally. These takeovers, which are unique and creative, deliver an important message increasing visibility and investment changes the game. Our collaboration is another example of how brands and media can work together to advance womens sports and meet fan demand.
As the exclusive sponsor of the takeovers, Allywill own all the commercial time in the two custom episodes andwill receive branding throughout the show. Each of the designated editions of SportsCenter will conclude with live commercials featuring the two anchors that will transition seamlessly into Allys branded content. ESPN CreativeWorks, Disneys award-winning in-house creative agency, developed elements of the branded campaign in collaboration with Ally, its creative agency, Anomaly, and its media agency, EssenceMediacom.
Additionally, Ally and ESPN CreativeWorks developed a series of :60 second spots, titled Flip the Game. Featuring ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt and WNBA legend Sue Bird, each spot will sarcastically illustrate and describe how a SportsCenter segment could look in an alternative reality in which a financial services company needed to step up to support mens sports.
Disney is known for its unparalleled ability to connect fans and brands to womens sports. In 2022 alone, more than 33,000 hours of womens sports programming aired on ESPN. Expanding on the first-of-its-kind collaboration with Ally, the media company plans to increase resources and accessibility for everyone to enjoy the incredible talent of women athletes.
About Ally Financial
Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALLY) is a financial services company with the nations largest all-digital bank and an industry-leading auto financing business, driven by a mission to Do It Right and be a relentless ally for customers and communities. The company serves more than 11 million customers through a full range of online banking services (including deposits, mortgage, point-of-sale personal lending, and credit card products) and securities brokerage and investment advisory services. The company also includes a robust corporate finance business that offers capital for equity sponsors and middle-market companies, as well as auto financing and insurance offerings. For more information, please visit www.ally.com and follow @allyfinancial.
For more information and disclosures about Ally, visithttps://www.ally.com/#disclosures.
For further images and news on Ally, please visithttp://media.ally.com.
By Andy Hall
WEBWIRE – Friday, February 3, 2023
Today, Disney+ and Lucasfilm announced that the second volume of the animated anthology series Star Wars: Visions will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on May 4, 2023. Following on the Emmy Award-nominated success of Star Wars: Visions, the newest volume will continue to push the boundaries of Star Wars storytelling, with nine new shorts from 9 studios from around the globe. Employing the most captivating animation styles from a variety of countries and cultures, the second volume offers a dynamic new perspective on the storied mythos of Star Wars. Title Treatment Available Here: https://wdsprod.box.com/s/iu695c3glvbmhije79ik0zudas4rcqm0 The shorts included in Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 were created by the following international animation studios: El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea) Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), Dart Shtajio (Japan), and Triggerfish (South Africa). DArt Shtajios short was created in collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd. (United States). The reaction to the first volume of Star Wars: Visions blew us away. We were delighted that this project inspired and resonated with so many people, says James Waugh, Star Wars: Visions executive producer and Senior Vice President Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm. We always saw Star Wars: Visions as a framework for celebratory expressions of the franchise from some of the best creators working today. Animation is in a global renaissance, and were constantly staggered by the amount of creativity pushing the medium forward. With Volume 1, the imaginative minds of Japans anime industry were on full display. With Volume 2, we expanded our canvas to take audiences on a global tour of some of the most talented creators from around the world. Were so proud to be able to reveal the line-up of studios weve assembled. Every short is incredible, full of heart, scope, imagination, and the values that make stories distinctly Star Wars all while opening up bold new ways of seeing what a Star Wars story can be. Waugh executive produces Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 along with Jacqui Lopez and Josh Rimes. Details on each short and filmmaker follow: Title: Sith Rodrigo Blaas is an Emmy Award-winning director who has spent more than 20 years in animation. After co-founding Stromboli Animation in 1997, Blaas joined Blue Sky Studios in 2000, working on the feature film Ice Age, before transitioning to Pixar Animation Studios. There, he worked on such projects as Finding Nemo (2003), The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007) and Wall-E (2008) and on the Oscar-nominated short film La Luna (2011). More recently, Blaas partnered with Guillermo del Toro to develop the award-winning series Trollhunters, served as creative director for Mikros Animation Paris and, in 2021, created El Guiri Studios in Madrid with his partner, Cecile Hokes. He also wrote and directed 2009s award-winning short film Alma. Title: Screechers Reach Paul Young is a co-founder of Cartoon Saloon, an IFTA winner and Oscar, Emmy and BAFTA nominee. He produced the animated features My Fathers Dragon, WolfWalkers, The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and The Breadwinner as well as award-winning TV series including Puffin Rock, Dorg Van Dango and Viking Skool. Title: In the Stars Gabriel Osorio majored in Fine Arts at Universidad de Chile, later specializing in 3D animation. After working in commercials, movies and television series, he founded Punkrobot Studio. Since 2008, he has directed projects for childrens television including Flipos, Muelin y Perlita, Soccer Girls and television spots. In 2016, his short film Bear Story became the first Latin American project to win an Oscar in the animated short category. Title: I Am Your Mother Magdalena Osinska is an award-winning director who has been with Aardman for eight years. She has directed stop-motion, CGI, 2D and live-action commercials including Wallace & Gromits The Great Sofa Caper and Share the Orange. Osinska directed development of the childrens series Joyets and has also directed films including Spirits of the Piano and Zbignievs Cupboard. A graduate of the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, UK, as well as the Polish Film School in Lodz and Art College in Warsaw, Osinska is currently developing the feature film Jasia, based on her grandmothers memories of WWII Poland. Title: Journey to the Dark Head Rising star Hyeong Geun Park had already made a name for himself when he entered the Korean animation industry in 2017, thanks to his strong drawing and animation sensibilities. He has directed animation for dozens of cinematic game trailers and has since expanded into animated series, working on projects including Dota: Dragons Blood: Book 3 (2022) and Lookism (2022). Journey to the Dark Head is the first title he has executive produced from start to finish. Title: The Spy Dancer Julien Chheng is CEO of Studio La Cachette, an Emmy Award-winning French animation studio he co-founded in 2014 with fellow Gobelins schools alumni Oussama Bouacheria and Ulysse Malassagne. Chheng was trained in visual development at Disney and has worked as a character animator on acclaimed 2D animated features The Rabbis Cat, Mune and the Academy Award-nominated Ernest and Celestine. In 2021, he won an Emmy Award as animation executive producer of Genndy Tartakovskys Primal, for which he also served as animation supervisor. In 2022, Chheng directed with Jean-Christophe Roger the Cesar-nominated feature Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia. Title: The Bandits of Golak Ishan Shukla started his career as a CG artist in Singapore. For more than a decade, he spearheaded projects ranging from TV commercials to series and music videos. His 2016 animated short, Schirkoa, was long listed for the Academy Awards after receiving dozens of awards and playing at 120 international festivals, including SIGGRAPH Asia where it was named Best in Show. He then set up his own animation studio to work on adult-oriented animated feature films including a feature-length version of Schirkoa, set to hit festivals in summer 2023. Title: The Pit LeAndre Thomas is an award-winning writer and director from Oakland, Calif., whose most recent film won Best Director at the Pasadena International Film Festival. In addition to his independent films, Thomas is a part of the franchise studio team at Lucasfilm Ltd. where he has worked for more than 11 years being credited on recent titles such as Light & Magic, The Mandalorian, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, and many more. Justin Ridge executive produced the Emmy-nominated series Star Wars Resistance. His credits also include Star Wars Rebels, Storks, The Cleveland Show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Avatar: The Last Airbender. Title: Aaus Song Nadia Darries is a director, animator and co-founder of Goon Valley Animation, with an avocation for songwriting. Born in the Cape Flats in South Africa, Darries has worked on high-end animated film and motion design as an animator, project manager, creative director and director since 2015. Her experience includes animating at Triggerfish Animation Studios on the award-winning BBC films Stick Man, Revolting Rhymes and Highway Rat. Daniel Clarke is a Cape Town-based director and artist working in animation, film and illustration. He started his career in animation in 2008 at Triggerfish Animation Studios, where he has served as production designer, art director and director on projects such as the feature film Khumba, BBCs Stick Man and The Snail and the Whale. In 2018, along with James Clarke and Daniel Snaddon, he completed the graphic novel Kariba. Star Wars: Visions” Volume 2 streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning May 4, 2023. Twitter: @DisneyPlus @starwars ABOUT DISNEY+
BURBANK, Calif. – WEBWIRE – Thursday, November 10, 2022 Disney+ released the official trailer and key art for the upcoming documentary Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? The intimate and inspirational documentary from Disney Branded Television and Ideal Partners follows the beloved actress and singer on her journey to fulfill a lifelong dream to headline Madison Square Garden. Take an in-depth look at Idina Menzel as youve never seen her before when the film premieres December 9, only on Disney+.
Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? | Official Trailer | Disney+
Beloved Tony Award® -winning actress and singer Idina Menzels many triumphs include iconic Broadway roles in productions of Rent and Wicked as well as the legendary voice of Elsa in Disneys Frozen. Yet one dream goal has evaded her grasp: to headline a concert at the world-famous Madison Square Garden in her hometown of New York City. Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? filmmaker Anne McCabe captures Menzel on a national tour over the course of 16 shows as she juggles the challenges of being a working mom with a grueling travel schedule, all while preparing to finally realize her dream.
Twitter: @DisneyPlus
ABOUT DISNEY+
ABOUT IDEAL PARTNERS
ABOUT DISNEY BRANDED TELEVISION
WEBWIRE – Wednesday, May 18, 2022 Disney+ has released a new trailer and key art for Marvel Studios She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. Streaming exclusively on Disney+ beginning August 17, the new comedy series stars Tatiana Maslany as She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases.
Official Trailer | She-Hulk: Attorney at Law | Disney+
Executive producer Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and chief creative officer of Marvel, welcomed Tatiana Maslany to The Walt Disney Companys 2022 Upfront presentation this afternoon at Basketball City on Pier 36 in New York. The pair shared details about the upcoming series, including the August 17 launch date, and debuted the new trailer for attendees.
Title Treatment and Key Art Available Here: =1remhttps://wdsprod.app.box.com/s/jz158ij1ec5o0fvleb716qrhtkz4drvj
Directed by Kat Coiro (Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9) and Anu Valia (Episodes 5, 6, 7) with Jessica Gao as head writer, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law follows Jennifer Walters as she navigates the complicated life of a single, 30-something attorney who also happens to be a green 6-foot-7-inch superpowered hulk. The nine-episode series welcomes a host of MCU vets, including Mark Ruffalo as Smart Hulk, Tim Roth as Emil Blonsky/the Abomination, and Benedict Wong as Wong. The cast also includes Ginger Gonzaga, Josh Segarra, Jameela Jamil, Jon Bass and Renée Elise Goldsberry. Executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis DEsposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Kat Coiro and Jessica Gao. Co-executive producers are Wendy Jacobson and Jennifer Booth.
About Disney+
WEBWIRE – Wednesday, March 30, 2022 Disney+ has released the trailer for Ice Age: Scrat Tales. Ice Age: Scrat Tales is a series of six all-new animated shorts starring Scrat, the hapless saber-toothed squirrel of the Ice Age adventures, who experiences the ups and downs of fatherhood, as he and the adorable, mischievous Baby Scrat, alternately bond with each other and battle for ownership of the highly treasured Acorn. Featuring the vocal talents of Chris Wedge (Scrat) and Kari Wahlgren (Baby Scrat), the series is produced by Anthony Nisi, with Robert L. Baird and Andrew Millstein serving as executive producers. Ice Age: Scrat Tales will debut on Disney+ on April 13.
Link to stills: https://wdsprod.app.box.com/s/opdys8694mc0627vy7e7mvtitubt76iv
THE SHORTS:
Nuts About You Directed by Michael Berardini and Donnie Long. Story by Michael Berardini.
LoFi Scrat Beats to Sleep/Chill to Directed by Donnie Long and Matt Munn. Story by Donnie Long.
Xs and Uh-Os Directed by Donnie Long and Drew Winey. Story by James Young Jackson and Drew Winey.
Nutty Reflections Directed by Donnie Long and Eric Prah. Story by Galen Tan Chu.
Teeter Toddler Directed by Jeff Gabor and Donnie Long. Story by Galen Tan Chu.
Nut The End Directed by Lisa Allen Keane and Donnie Long. Story by Michael Thurmeier.
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About Disney+
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Disney+ Announces Release Date, Animation Studios, Filmmakers And More For “Star Wars: Visions” Volume 2
Volume 2 Premieres Exclusively on Disney+ May 4
Studio: El Guiri
Writer-director: Rodrigo Blaas
Studio: Cartoon Saloon
Director: Paul Young
Studio: Punkrobot
Writer-director: Gabriel Osorio
Studio: Aardman
Director: Magdalena Osinska
Studio: Studio Mir
Director: Hyeong Geun Park
Studio: Studio La Cachette
Writer-director: Julien Chheng
Studio: 88 Pictures
Director: Ishan Shukla
Studios: Dart Shtajio and Lucasfilm Ltd.
Writer-director-executive producer: LeAndre Thomas
Co-director: Justin Ridge
Studio: Triggerfish
Writer-directors: Nadia Darries and Daniel Clarke
Instagram: @DisneyPlus @starwars
Facebook: @DisneyPlus @starwars
TikTok: @DisneyPlus
Hashtag: #DisneyPlus
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ offers an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disneys long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service, as part of the Disney Bundle in the U.S. that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, or as part of Combo+ in Latin America with Star+, the standalone general entertainment and sports streaming service in the region. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.Disney+ Debuts Official Trailer For Upcoming Documentary About Tony Award®-Winning Icon ‘Idina Menzel: Which Way To The Stage?’
Key Art Now Available
The Original Film Premieres December 9, only on Disney+
Instagram: @DisneyPlus
Facebook: @DisneyPlus
TikTok: @DisneyPlus
Hashtag: #DisneyPlus
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disneys long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service, as part of the Disney Bundle in the U.S. that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, or as part of Combo+ in Latin America with Star+, the standalone general entertainment and sports streaming service in the region. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.
IDEAL PARTNERS is an independent film and television production company based in NYC. Current projects include: a feature film biopic about iconic choreographer, ALVIN AILEY, directed by Barry Jenkins and distributed by Searchlight; THE LIBRARIANS, a feature documentary about book banning in Texas, directed by Kim Snyder; a drama series based on a New Yorker article in development with AMC and produced with Blumhouse TV; THE GIRL WITH SEVEN NAMES, a feature documentary about North Korean human rights abuses and defectors; a comedy series inspired by the life of fashion designer, Peter Som. Previous projects include the feature documentary, HOUSE OF Z; and feature films STRANGE WEATHER; THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE; DIRTY GIRL. www.idealpartners.co
Disney Branded Television encompasses the creative storytellers and production and content marketing teams responsible for Disney-branded television series, movies and other programming spanning live-action, animated and unscripted formats. The group fuels the Disney+ streaming platform and Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior linear networks with content geared toward kids, tweens, teens and families, with stories that are imaginative, aspirational and reflective of their world and experiences. Projects include High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Monsters at Work, The Mysterious Benedict Society and Marvels Spidey and his Amazing Friends. Disney Branded Television has created some of the most iconic and award-winning properties and franchises, including Peabody Award winners Doc McStuffins and The Owl House; Emmy Award winners Big City Greens and Elena of Avalor; the beloved Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts plus the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) franchise, comprised of more than 100 titles.Disney+ Releases Trailer For Marvel Studios’ “She-Hulk: Attorney At Law” Premiering August 17
Series Star Tatiana Maslany & Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige Shared New Trailer, Launch Date at The Walt Disney Companys Upfront Presentation
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disneys long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.Disney+ Original Shorts “Ice Age: Scrat Tales” Trailer Available Now
Six All-New Animated Shorts to Debut on Disney+ on April 13
In Nuts About You, Scrat meets Baby Scrat and experiences the pure joy of being a new parentuntil Baby Scrat sees The Acorn for the first time.
In LoFi Scrat Beats to Sleep/Chill to, Scrat pounds out a percussive lullaby to get a crying Baby Scrat to fall asleep.
In Xs and Uh-Os, Scrat demonstrates for Baby Scrat how to plant The Acorn, but Scrat is really the one being taught a lesson.
In Nutty Reflections, Scrat and Baby Scrat run after The Acorn into a dark cave, which resembles a creepy funhouse hall of mirrors.
In Teeter Toddler, thanks to a dodo bird, Scrat and Baby Scrat end up on opposite sides of a log held up by a single branch.
In Nut The End, The Acorn goes flying off a cliff. With it seemingly gone forever, can Scrat and Baby Scrat live in harmony?
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic, along with The Simpsons and much more. In select international markets, it also includes the new general entertainment content brand, Star. The flagship direct-to-consumer streaming service from The Walt Disney Company, Disney+ is part of the Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution segment. The service offers commercial-free streaming alongside an ever-growing collection of exclusive originals, including feature-length films, documentaries, live-action and animated series, and short-form content. With unprecedented access to Disneys long history of incredible film and television entertainment, Disney+ is also the exclusive streaming home for the newest releases from The Walt Disney Studios. Disney+ is available as a standalone streaming service or as part of The Disney Bundle that gives subscribers access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+. For more, visit disneyplus.com, or find the Disney+ app on most mobile and connected TV devices.
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