16: Driving audience engagement with the magic of Disney: Insights from Andrew Messina, senior vice president at Disney Advertising

16: Driving audience engagement with the magic of Disney: Insights from Andrew Messina, senior vice president at Disney Advertising

Author: Alan B. Hart September 3, 2025 Duration: 20:11

Andrew Messina is a Senior Vice President at Disney Advertising. He began his career on the agency side before moving into daytime sales at ABC, then advancing to a primetime senior account executive role, and ultimately rising to his current position. For the past 17 years, Andrew has led all brand advertising initiatives at Disney Advertising, including linear, programmatic, and addressable campaigns across platforms such as Disney, Disney+, Hulu, FX, and ESPN. 

In today's episode, Alan and Andrew connect at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to discuss the integration, sponsorship, and advertising opportunities Disney offers brands across its many properties. Andrew shares how live events – particularly women's sports – are shaping advertising, highlights the importance of relationship-building in media sales, and explains Disney's approach to reaching diverse audiences. He also reflects on the importance of mentorship and how AI and youth culture are influencing marketing strategies. 

 

In this episode, you'll learn: 

How rising viewership of women's sports is creating new advertising opportunitie 

Why cultivating trust is essential for career growth, plus actionable development tips  

Disney's approach to building relationships with brands  

 

Key quotes: 

"Relationships really, really matter, and the only way some of these things are going to get done is through making sure you're connected." - Andrew Messina, senior vice president at Disney Advertising 

 

Key highlights: 

[00:30] Introduction  

[01:10] A nontraditional introduction to the industry  

[02:15] Andrew's path to Disney  

[04:10] The scope of his role 

[05:00] How consumer brands shape the sports landscape 

[07:45] Some of the most valued properties for brands 

[08:45] Co-creation with consumers 

[10:00] Stand-out strategies for auto and retail 

[11:30] Industry transformation over the years 

[13:25] An experience that defines you: The opportunity to learn sales 

[15:40] Advice to your younger self: Develop relationships 

[16:50] A topic marketers need to learn more about: AI 

[17:35] Subcultures and trends to follow: Tastes of the younger audience 

[18:50] Largest threat to marketers today: Complacency  

 

Resources mentioned:   

 

Follow the podcast:   

 

Connect with Andrew Messina and Disney Advertising: 


Hosted by Alan B. Hart, Marketing Beyond moves past the buzzwords and surface-level tactics to explore the real strategic decisions shaping modern business. Each episode features a candid, in-depth conversation with a chief marketing officer or a founder who has fundamentally changed how a brand connects with its audience. These aren't just success stories; Alan guides his guests into discussing the pivotal failures, the unexpected pivots, and the nuanced challenges that rarely make the keynote stage. You'll hear firsthand how leaders navigate the convergence of creativity, data, and technology in a rapidly shifting landscape. This podcast provides a rare, unfiltered look at the thinking behind major campaigns and business transformations, offering practical wisdom rather than just theory. For anyone curious about the human judgment and long-term vision required to build lasting brands, these discussions cut straight to the core. Listening feels like being a fly on the wall for a masterclass in strategic marketing, where the focus is always on what comes next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 41

Marketing Beyond with Alan B. Hart
Podcast Episodes