Case Study

🎬 DisneyNOW

Multi-Platform App & Interactive Experience Ecosystem

 
 

📘 Project Snapshot

Company: Disney Channel (The Walt Disney Company)
Role: Senior Product Manager, Digital Experiences
Platforms: Web · Mobile · CTV · AR
Timeline: 2014–2019

As an in-house product and content lead at Disney Channel, I helped shape the creative and strategic evolution of DisneyNOW, the company’s flagship digital app for kids and families. I led multi-disciplinary teams across product, UX, and creative to deliver streaming features, interactive games, AR experiments, and a gamified rewards system. This platform unified multiple Disney brands (Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Junior) under one intuitive and engaging digital experience, tailored to young users and compliant with COPPA standards.

💡 Challenge

Disney needed a unified digital platform that could:

  • Consolidate video, games, and live content across Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior

  • Deliver safe, engaging, COPPA-compliant features for kids while appealing to millennial parents

  • Support seasonal campaigns, franchise launches, and character-based activations

  • Scale seamlessly across mobile, CTV, and web platforms with consistent UX and performance

  • Integrate real-time features like interactive episodes and emerging AR capabilitiesAs the Senior Product Manager for DisneyNOW, I led the development and continuous evolution of Disney Channel’s flagship digital experience—an all-in-one platform for streaming, games, rewards, and interactive content targeting kids and families.

My role combined product strategy, creative storytelling, platform development, and cross-functional execution across mobile, web, and connected TV (CTV) environments.

🚀 Contributions

App Development Leadership: Managed the multi-platform feature roadmap, prioritizing seamless UX across mobile, web, and CTV. Coordinated cross-functional teams to deliver new experiences on tight content schedules.

  • Interactive Streaming Experiences: Developed and launched interactive episodes with layered features such as in-stream trivia, branching content, emoji reactions, and real-time feedback mechanisms—designed to keep younger audiences engaged while watching.

  • Augmented Reality (AR) Integration: Collaborated with design and engineering teams to experiment with AR-based companion content that extended show themes and characters beyond the screen. AR experiences were tied to live broadcasts or seasonal campaigns, encouraging mobile-device interaction during tune-in windows.

  • DisneyNOW Rewards System: Designed a gamified incentive structure rewarding content interaction—watching shows, playing games, or unlocking digital badges—resulting in a measurable lift in daily active users and return visits.

  • UX Testing & Optimization: Conducted iterative testing to refine navigation, screen time balance, and safety guardrails. Integrated kid-friendly logic into feature design, especially around content triggers and timing.

  • Seasonal + Talent Campaign Integration: Delivered campaigns aligned with show launches, holidays, and live appearances (e.g., character overlays, co-viewing events), leveraging backend systems to dynamically push content updates across platforms.

📈 Results & Impact

  • 20% increase in return visits after launch of DisneyNOW Rewards

  • Marked rise in average session duration on interactive episode releases

  • High engagement rates (CTR and completion) for AR companion content tied to live events

  • Supported successful launch of multiple seasonal campaigns with integrated second-screen elements

  • Helped set the foundation for future immersive and real-time storytelling initiatives within Disney's digital portfolio

🧠 What I Learned

  • Interactive streaming needs to feel natural, not forced—especially for younger users

  • AR isn’t just a novelty—it can deepen emotional connection when paired with strong narrative cues

  • Real-time feedback loops and viewer participation are key to extending engagement beyond passive watching

  • Building immersive content requires tight coordination between design, content, UX, and platform infrastructure