Disney Channel’s dive into sponsorship creates few market waves

After operating for 19 years as an ad-free kids cable net, Disney Channel has broken the commercial seal and accepted McDonald's as its first corporate sponsor. Expanding on its existing 10-year alliance with The Walt Disney Company, McD's will spend an estimated US$2 million to US$3 million a year on the Disney Channel buy. For its investment, the fast-food giant will get three or four 15-second spots, the first of which has already started running before and after programming in the Playhouse Disney preschool block that airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and weekends from 6 a.m. to noon. Against a background showing kids playing and singing, the sponsored messages will intone: 'Where the learning is powered by imagination--McDonald's is proud to be a sponsor of Playhouse Disney.'