Asad Ayaz (Courtesy of Disney)
The Walt Disney Company has named Asad Ayaz its first-ever chief brand officer. In the newly created role, effective immediately, he will report to CEO Bob Iger and will be responsible for streamlining a singular vision for marketing initiatives across the entire company.
Ayaz will also continue as president of marketing for the studio, overseeing all aspects of marketing and publicity for films and series as well as for Disney+ globally. In that position, which he’s held since 2018, he reports 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,” Iger said. “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.”
As chief brand officer, Ayaz will develop and execute company-wide brand marketing campaigns to, in Disney’s words, “leverage and synthesize 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 also, again in Disney’s words, “set corporate synergy and franchise priorities in consultation with the CEO and lead a global consumer research and analytics function focused on Disney’s brands and franchises that will inform actionable cross-platform initiatives.”
“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,” said Ayaz. “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.”
Among other cross-company brand initiatives, Ayaz will oversee the Disney100 campaign as the company celebrates its 100th year. He recently led the development and creation of the Disney100 Special Look spot that debuted in this year’s Super Bowl, as well as the studios’ new 100-year logo that appears on all of Disney’s films.
As president of marketing for Walt Disney Studios, 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.
An 18-year Disney veteran, Ayaz has developed and led marketing campaigns for mega blockbusters such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.” He has also spearheaded the campaigns for Disney’s live-action remakes of “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” as well as “Frozen 2,” “Encanto” and “Toy Story 4.” On the TV side, he led the rollout for “The Mandalorian,” “WandaVision,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi” and “Loki.”
Variety's Rebecca Rubin contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-asad-ayaz-chief-brand-officer-1235575558/
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