Budweiser, Chili’s, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Domino’s, Mountain Dew, Long John Silver’s and U. of Phoenix Join Shark Week Sponsors

Shark Week 'Air Jaws: Final Frontier'
Shark Week programming includes ‘Air Jaws: Final Frontier.’ (Image credit: Discovery)

Shark Week is coming and a mouthful of new sponsors have signed up for the fearsome event’s 35th anniversary season.

Signing up for the 2023 edition are Budweiser, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Domino’s, Mountain Dew, Long John Silver’s and the University of Phoenix.

Returning sponsors include Gorilla Glue, PNC Bank, Sport Clips and Wayfair. 

Shark Week sponsors often air specially-themed ads to mark the occasion. Sponsorship also includes custom vignettes, tagged tune-ins, billboards and in-program messaging, plus social media extensions across TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

“Shark Week attracts impressive audiences year after year, and we create endemic sponsorship opportunities for clients that fit seamlessly into the programming to deliver enjoyable advertising experiences for engaged consumers,” said Jon Diament, executive VP, advertising sales at Warner Bros. Discovery. “We work closely with our sponsors to ensure their overall marketing objectives are met through unique and impactful campaigns that provide unmatched reach and scale through our wide portfolio of brands.”

This year, Shark Week appears from July 23 through July 29 on Discovery Channel. It will also available to stream on Max and Discovery Plus, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s direct-to-consumer platforms.

Shark Week is being hosted by actor Jason Momoa. It will feature 20 hours of new programming. Shows will take viewers inside a great white shark feeding frenzy and investigate rumors of sharks feasting on cocaine.

Shark Week attracted more than 28 million viewers last year.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear and streaming portfolio — including TBS, TNT, truTV, TLC, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Travel Channel, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Science Channel, ID, TCM — will air Shark Week-inspired content or cross-promote the event.  

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.