The marketing mastermind for The Walt Disney Company just got promoted! Disney has named him their first-ever Chief Brand Officer effective immediately.
CEO Bob Iger made the announcement on Thursday. Ayaz will report directly to Iger on anything related to branding. He will also continue his current role as as president of marketing for Walt Disney Studios, overseeing all aspects of marketing and publicity for the Studios’ films and series as well as for Disney+ globally, reporting to Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman.
Asad is an exceptional creative leader with a deep understanding of what Disney means to millions of people around the world. His taking on this role is particularly noteworthy and consequential as we commemorate our historic 100th anniversary, and I am confident that his strategic, operational, and creative prowess, along with his profound passion for Disney, will make him an outstanding steward of our stories, characters, brands, and franchises.
Bob Iger
As chief brand officer, Ayaz will develop and execute brand marketing campaigns leveraging and synthesizing the company’s full suite of content and consumer experiences, activate the brand internally and externally through partnerships, and provide guidance and alignment for the company’s digital and social media strategy and presence. He will set corporate synergy and franchise priorities in consultation with the CEO and he and his team will use consumer research and analytics to decide how to promote brands and franchises across numerous platforms.
Throughout both my early life and my time at the company, I’ve marveled at the power of Disney’s storytelling, experiences, and simply the name itself to inspire people and resonate through generations I am immensely grateful to Bob for entrusting me with this opportunity, and I’m excited to work with the amazing teams around our company to highlight all the things that make Disney exceptional and ensure that we continue to create those meaningful connections with audiences for many more generations to come.
Asad Ayaz
Ayaz will also oversee Disney’s massive Disney100 campaign, which celebrates the company’s historic 100 years of magic. He led the mesmerizing Disney100 Super Bowl spot, as well as the new logo intro shown in front of Disney’s newest movies.
As President of Marketing for The Walt Disney Studios, a role he has held since 2018, Ayaz will continue to oversee all aspects of marketing for films and series from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios, including strategy, creative advertising, media, digital, research, special events, promotions, international marketing, publicity, and synergy. He was also recently named to lead marketing for Disney+ globally.
A 15-year Disney vet, Asad Ayaz knows how to open big, having spearheaded the marketing campaigns for 13 of the top 15 domestic box office debuts in history, including six with opening weekend grosses topping $200 million.