Disney+ is preparing to add vertical video to its platform later this year, marking a notable shift as the subscription streamer looks to boost daily engagement and better compete with digital-native rivals that have trained audiences to check in multiple times a day.

The move was unveiled during Disney’s Tech + Data Showcase at CES in Las Vegas, alongside a slate of advertising-focused announcements aimed at strengthening the company’s appeal to marketers. Those included a new “brand impact” measurement tool and a video-generation product designed to help advertisers quickly build connected-TV-ready commercials from existing assets.

Executives framed vertical video as an evolution of the Disney+ experience rather than a bolt-on feature. The company has already experimented with the format through ESPN’s “Verts,” which launched last summer as part of the revamped ESPN app. Lessons from that rollout are now informing a broader strategy across entertainment and news.

“We’ll look to evolve the experience over time,” Disney said in announcing the initiative, describing plans for a personalized, dynamic feed that could incorporate original short-form content, repurposed social clips and reimagined moments from longer-form series and films. The goal, according to the company, is to turn Disney+ into a “must-visit daily destination.”

In an interview ahead of the CES presentation, Erin Teague, EVP of product management for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, emphasized that the company is being deliberate about how the format is integrated. “Everything’s on the table,” she said, noting that vertical video could take multiple forms but will be designed to feel native to how audiences already behave. “It won’t be a disjointed, random experience.”

Teague, a former YouTube executive, pointed to the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels—and YouTube’s eventual response with Shorts—as evidence that major platforms ultimately need to meet audiences where they are. While short-form video is often associated with mobile viewing, she noted that a growing share of consumption now happens in the living room, underscoring why Disney sees an opportunity inside its core streaming apps.

“Vertical videos are really great as daily habits—snackable, short, bite-sized experiences,” Teague said, adding that Disney does not view them simply as marketing funnels for long-form programming but as a meaningful enhancement in their own right. That mindset is especially important for younger viewers, she added, who are less inclined to sit through long-form content on their phones.

Advertising considerations loom large in the strategy. Disney’s global ad chief Rita Ferro used the CES stage to highlight the continued dominance of live programming, particularly sports, across streaming. ESPN accounted for roughly a third of all live sports viewing in 2025, she said, far outpacing competitors—a performance that reinforces Disney’s pitch to advertisers seeking scale and cultural relevance.

To complement new formats like vertical video, Disney Advertising is rolling out a Brand Impact Metric intended to better connect brand-building efforts with performance outcomes. The tool blends Disney’s first-party data with third-party measurement to show how different ad channels work together.

“More than ever, marketers need a better bridge between brand building and performance,” said Dana McGraw, SVP of data and measurement science. “When brands can connect ad exposure to direct results, they gain clarity on not just what drove outcomes—but how.”

Taken together, the vertical video initiative and the expanded ad-tech toolkit signal Disney’s intent to adapt to changing consumption habits without abandoning the premium positioning of its flagship streamer. As competition for attention intensifies, Disney+ is betting that short-form video can help keep audiences—and advertisers—coming back every day.