Disney and ESPN Extend a Super Bowl Tradition Into a Yearlong Campaign

Disney is taking one of the most familiar Big Game hooks and flipping it into a full-scale marketing push that ties beloved characters to ESPN’s first-ever Super Bowl broadcast.

Eschewing a single celebrity tag or single scene, ESPN and Disney’s new “We’re Going” spot brings more than 60 Disney universes together.

The entertainment giants launched a fast-paced story about traveling to Super Bowl LXI in Los Angeles.

The creative roots of the idea trace back nearly four decades.

It refers to the tradition where Super Bowl champions have often ended the game with "I'm going to Disney World," making the phrase part of how fans think about football’s biggest day.

Tina Thornton, EVP of Creative Studio and Marketing at ESPN, said “We’re Going” sets the tone for a "year-long adventure" leading up to the 2027 game.

"Together, it allows us to build momentum, create emotional connection, and bring fans with us every step of the way," she added.

The campaign aims to pull viewers into a narrative that combines sports excitement with imagination, using emotional storytelling to connect audiences who might not otherwise tune in to NFL coverage.

The Road to Super Bowl LXI

Made with creative agency Arts & Letters, the one-minute ad starts with a clip of Super Bowl winners repeating the iconic line, with Buzz Lightyear and Woody watching the broadcast.

They then express their desire to go to the Big Game, kickstarting an adventure that treats viewers to a slew of Disney characters.

Darth Vader, Iron Man, Anna and Elsa, Grogu, Stitch, the Muppets, and more all pop up in quick succession, headed towards the same direction: the Super Bowl.

In addition to the creative film, ESPN has launched a 24-hour, multi-platform initiative called “The Handoff” that began at SoFi Stadium, the Super Bowl LXI host site.

Notably, it continues to air at Disneyland Park, bridging the worlds of sports and theme-park entertainment.

It's a brand activation designed to keep fans engaged across screens and physical spaces as the campaign rolls forward.

Ultimately, the overall effort shows how a legacy tagline can be reinterpreted for modern viewership while respecting its roots.

This year, The Walt Disney Company was ranked 46th on the Fortune 500 list, reflecting its status as one of the biggest media and entertainment companies in America.

What We Can Learn From This Super Bowl Strategy

For marketers, Disney’s breadth of intellectual property offers a rare toolkit for weaving multiple audience passions into a singular campaign.

It's a sharp example of how a brand can expand an iconic tradition into a long-running narrative that supports both Disney and ESPN's business goals.

• Combining deep-rooted brand signals with current media moments can create relevance outside of paid media buys.
• Building multi-platform activations like “The Handoff” keeps audiences connected as the campaign moves through time and space.
• Leveraging a wide IP portfolio lets a campaign reach many audience segments without diluting the core message.

Other entertainment companies, like Warner Bros. and Paramount, have also used cross-property character collabs to widen reach during major sporting events.

Last year, Paramount brought SpongeBob and the world of Star Trek together, something that fans could only once imagine. 

For ESPN and Disney, the real test now will be whether this campaign sustains interest from now through the 2027 Super Bowl broadcast and keeps sports fans invested.

Our Take: Can Disney Own Super Bowl Week Again?

I think “We’re Going” shows how legacy cultural moments can be reborn for today’s audiences.

Instead of a one-off buy, Disney and ESPN are telling a story that nudges a longstanding tradition, while drawing them into a larger narrative arc.

This is rare in an era where most Super Bowl advertising burns hard for a few seconds and fades.

This approach feels more like a serialized invite than a single commercial, and I think that could make all the difference in lasting impact.

In other news, Marvel and Disney skipped Big Game placements for "Avengers" and "Spider-Man" this year, hoping fan hype will drive awareness to two of the upcoming films.

When IP is treated as a system, campaigns scale without losing focus. These top ad agencies help brands orchestrate complex stories with clarity and control.