Ad Age is marking Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2023 with our Honoring Creative Excellence package. (Read the introduction here.) Today, our guest editor Bing Chen turns the spotlight to Asad Ayaz, chief brand officer at The Walt Disney Company and president of marketing at The Walt Disney Studios and Disney+. Here, Ayaz writes about launching “Disney100” during Super Bowl 2023.

During my time at The Walt Disney Company, I’ve had the privilege of working on campaigns for some of the most beloved characters and stories in the world, and each time I have to pinch myself because Disney has held such a special place in my heart since I was a child. Growing up in a South Asian family, I was exposed to a diversity of stories, characters and cultures from a young age, and drawn to the magic, fantasy and adventure of Disney characters, Marvel comics and Star Wars movies.

I feel blessed to work with an incredibly talented and diverse marketing team that works hard to make each campaign feel unique and special in its own way, but working on Disney’s momentous 100-year milestone campaign “Disney100,” which we kicked off with a spot during this year’s Super Bowl, has been a true honor. Not only because of what it means to me but, more importantly, what it means to our fans around the world.

When we started planning for our centennial, one thing became abundantly clear: This had to be about celebrating our fans and creators—the people without whom this incredible century of storytelling and joy would not have been possible. Our central idea for the campaign was around gratitude and celebrating our storytellers of the last 10 decades and the millions of fans around the world who have loved and cherished the brand in a way that was authentic, emotional and sincere. 

What is incredible about our brands, stories and characters are the memories and emotions we associate with almost every single one of them—something that feels especially true for those of us who grew up with Disney. From defining moments of joy and magic in our childhoods to the feeling when you see your favorite Disney, Star Wars, Pixar or Marvel character on the big screen for the first time, or visit Disneyland with your family, or watch your favorite Sunday morning cartoons on weekends growing up, to now sharing “The Mandalorian” with your kids on Disney+.

I feel proud to be part of a company that creates memories and brings magic into the lives of people of all ages, all around the world. Disney and its characters and stories truly speak to audiences of all backgrounds and ages, and it is the creative excellence of our stories that results in a connection that can sometimes last a lifetime.

The launch of our 100-year celebration had to capture the powerful emotion that only Disney can deliver. If our campaign could creatively capture even some of the essence of the feeling Disney and its stories inspire, we knew we would have succeeded.

As our creative process came together, we knew we wanted to debut our first anniversary spot during one of the most-watched broadcast moments of the year—the Super Bowl. The game offered the perfect platform—one where families and friends gather to not only watch the game, but to appreciate the creative ads and musical moments. By debuting our spot there, we got to be a part of a pop culture celebration that set the right tone for the campaign.

Working with our digital team and our synergy and co-marketing partners around the company, we put together one of the biggest social and broadcast campaign launches in years and gave our “Disney100” celebration the kickoff it deserved. I am excited for what lies ahead, as we continue to build our plans to celebrate our incredible creatives and fans during this momentous year for The Walt Disney Company, and I’m so honored that I get to be a part of the magic.