Disney+ is Set to Dive into Bite-Sized Content in 2026, Betting on the Power of Microcontent.
In a bid to stay relevant with younger audiences, Disney has announced plans to incorporate microcontent – short-form video and other bite-sized formats – into its streaming platform by 2026. The move is part of a broader trend among traditional media companies to adapt to changing viewer habits.
Disney's foray into microcontent was first seen in its ESPN streaming app, where "verts" – short video vignettes featuring sports commentary or analysis – were introduced as a way to provide users with more control over their content feed. The company has now signaled its intention to expand this format across both news and entertainment sections of Disney+, leveraging the popularity of platforms like TikTok and Reels.
According to reports, several other major brands have also been experimenting with microcontent in recent years. ABC News recently launched a daily short-form show on Disney+ called "What You Need to Know," hosted by Rachel Scott or James Longman each weekday. Procter & Gamble is set to launch its own 50-episode "microsoap" series, dubbed "The Golden Pear Affair," which will initially be available on social media before being released through a bespoke mobile app.
Spanish-language giant TelevisaUnivision has also been exploring microcontent formats, partnering with the Dentsu ad agency to create a customized Spanish-language microdrama for retailer JCPenney. The company's aim is to tap into consumers' familiar behavior of binge-surfing content on social media platforms.
Disney has now taken its outreach efforts to Madison Avenue, unveiling a "brand portal" that allows clients to track the impact of ad campaigns across various Disney properties using data from leading analytics firms such as Affinity Solutions, CINT, EDO, Innovid, and VideoAmp. This move is seen as an attempt to empower advertisers to leverage data-driven insights in their marketing strategies.
While details about how exactly Disney plans to implement microcontent on its platform are still scarce, the move reflects a growing recognition among media companies of the importance of adapting to changing viewer habits – particularly when it comes to short-form content and mobile-first engagement.
In a bid to stay relevant with younger audiences, Disney has announced plans to incorporate microcontent – short-form video and other bite-sized formats – into its streaming platform by 2026. The move is part of a broader trend among traditional media companies to adapt to changing viewer habits.
Disney's foray into microcontent was first seen in its ESPN streaming app, where "verts" – short video vignettes featuring sports commentary or analysis – were introduced as a way to provide users with more control over their content feed. The company has now signaled its intention to expand this format across both news and entertainment sections of Disney+, leveraging the popularity of platforms like TikTok and Reels.
According to reports, several other major brands have also been experimenting with microcontent in recent years. ABC News recently launched a daily short-form show on Disney+ called "What You Need to Know," hosted by Rachel Scott or James Longman each weekday. Procter & Gamble is set to launch its own 50-episode "microsoap" series, dubbed "The Golden Pear Affair," which will initially be available on social media before being released through a bespoke mobile app.
Spanish-language giant TelevisaUnivision has also been exploring microcontent formats, partnering with the Dentsu ad agency to create a customized Spanish-language microdrama for retailer JCPenney. The company's aim is to tap into consumers' familiar behavior of binge-surfing content on social media platforms.
Disney has now taken its outreach efforts to Madison Avenue, unveiling a "brand portal" that allows clients to track the impact of ad campaigns across various Disney properties using data from leading analytics firms such as Affinity Solutions, CINT, EDO, Innovid, and VideoAmp. This move is seen as an attempt to empower advertisers to leverage data-driven insights in their marketing strategies.
While details about how exactly Disney plans to implement microcontent on its platform are still scarce, the move reflects a growing recognition among media companies of the importance of adapting to changing viewer habits – particularly when it comes to short-form content and mobile-first engagement.
So I think this is gonna be super interesting to see how Disney+ rolls out microcontent in 2026. They're already testing it with ESPN's "verts" thing, which has been a hit. But what I'm curious about is how they'll integrate it into the main platform. Will it be separate sections or just scattered throughout? And with all these other brands experimenting with microsoap and short-form shows, I wonder if we'll see a whole new type of content emerge. It's also cool to see Disney trying to empower advertisers by giving them more data-driven insights. Maybe this is the future of streaming... 
But at the same time, is it really bite-sized content if it's just a few seconds long? 
And don't even get me started on these "verts" – are they really short-form video or just a fancy way of saying "Instagram Reel"? 
. But hey, at least the brand portal sounds cool – maybe I'll be able to see which ads actually work... unless they're all just using the same old formulas 
.
They should just focus on delivering decent content instead of trying to keep up with the latest trends 
. I mean, I'm sure some people will still watch it, but for me, it's just more evidence that Disney is just trying to nickel and dime us for every little thing 
.
. I mean, who doesn't love scrolling through their feeds on TikTok or Reels? It's like the perfect combo - short, sweet, and engaging. And it makes total sense that brands are trying this out too, 'cause let's be real, everyone's a social media user nowadays 
.
? Either way, I'm here for the ride 
!
. I mean, think about it, TikTok & Reels have been killing the game for years now, and Disney's trying to hop on that bandwagon 
. It makes sense too, since younger audiences are all about quick hits of entertainment - they're not sitting through hours of stuff like their parents did 
.
And what's the deal with Procter & Gamble making a 50-ep 'microsoap' series 
? Is that even a thing now? 
. Can't wait to dive in (pun intended) & check out what Disney comes up with! 
THEY'RE LIKE "HEY, YOUNG PEOPLE WANT SHORT FORM CONTENT SO WE GONNA GIVE IT TO 'EM" 
.
. Instead of trying to keep us glued to the screen for hours, they're asking us to take ownership of what we want to watch. It's like, what if we could make content that's intentionally short and sweet - like a little life hack for our busy lives 
. And what about the quality of the content? Are we just gonna settle for more 'verts' than actual, you know, good ol' fashioned full-length shows? 
.
. Don't get me wrong, I think microcontent has its place, but I worry that Disney+ is just trying to keep up with the Joneses instead of innovating in its own unique way 
.
. Only time will tell if Disney+ really makes this bite-sized content thing work! 
. plus, have you seen the length of some of these espn "verts"?? i mean, who has time for that when you can binge-watch an entire season of a show in one sitting? 
I'm so stoked about this news!!! Disney is finally listening to what we want from them, you know? Short vids on Disney+ is a total game-changer! 
, now they're trying to make bite-sized videos for us lol 
. And now it's all about short-form vids and microcontent... I guess that's what the kids are into these days 
. Maybe this microcontent thing is the future of entertainment... who knows 
I'm not sure if I trust this whole microsoap thing... 
