McDonald's Corp. has become Disney Channel's first corporate sponsor for its
'Playhouse Disney' preschool programming block, effective Monday.
McDonald's will run 15-second commercial messages at the start or end of
select programs within that daily block, a la PBS, ABC Cable Networks Group and
Disney Channel Worldwide president Anne Sweeney said in a prepared
statement.
These messages will help to reinforce Playhouse Disney's on-air initiative,
'Where Learning Is Powered by Imagination,' the companies said.
Playhouse Disney -- which airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on weekends
from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. -- includes such shows as Bear in the Big Blue
House, Rolie Polie Olie, PB&J Otter and The Book of
Pooh.
McDonald's vice president of marketing Peter Sterling said, 'As partners in a
10-year exclusive business alliance, it's very fitting for us to become Disney
Channel's first on-air sponsor for Playhouse Disney.'
Sweeney added, 'This is an important milestone in Disney Channel's evolution
from a premium service to a widely distributed basic-cable network.'
A few years ago, Disney Channel had signed Target Corp. and Eastman Kodak Co.
as 'presenting sponsors' in primetime.
