How Disney Is Capitalizing on an Early NBA Game and First-Ever Hulu Simulcast As Part of This Year’s Company-Wide Oscars Synergy (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Walt Disney Co. makes an annual tradition out of synergy across its divisions to promote awareness and tune-in for the Oscars on ABC — and this year, for this Sunday’s 97th edition, that also includes a live stream for the first time on Hulu.

To that end, Disney is spotlighting the Oscars on Hulu’s homepage, while Hulu is also featuring current and past Oscar-nominated films on its homepage, Hulu Movies hub and an Oscars hub.

Other partnerships this year inside heavy promotion during ESPN’s coverage of the NBA on ABC earlier in the day, as a lead-in to Oscar night, and the return of ESPN’s Oscars Pick ‘Em game.

The company has also added new Oscars photo opps at the Disney parks and, as usual, has Academy Awards-themed program marathons on Disney-owned networks including FX, Freeform and Nat Geo. “Every year, our partners across The Walt Disney Company pull out all the stops to promote ‘The Oscars,’ and just when I feel like there are no more levers to pull, we find a way to go bigger,” said Erin Weir, EVP of marketing for ABC and Disney Entertainment Television. “From new photo moments inside the Disney theme parks and movie marathons airing across our cable networks to saturation level social support and specialty content from all areas of the company—I’m awed by the support from our brands and stations, as well as our nominated films past and present and from Mickey himself.