Dive Brief: 

• Disney announced six in-show brand integrations as part of the debut of “Project Runway” on Disney platforms today (July 31), according to details shared with Marketing Dive. 
• Four new brand partners — Calia by Dick’s Sporting Goods, Lilly, PNC Bank and Ulta Beauty — will have integrations with season 21 of “Project Runway,” along with returning partners Pilot Pens and Universal Pictures’ “Wicked: For Good.” 
• Weekly episodes of the series will air on Freeform before streaming on Disney+ and Hulu shortly after, providing additional reach. The roster of tie-ups for “Project Runway” sets a new record for brand integrations and revenue in a season for a Freeform show.

Dive Insight:

“Project Runway” has moved to Disney, offering marketers multi-platform reach across Freeform, Disney+ and Hulu as well as a chance for the media and entertainment company to showcase its advertising business. Campaigns and creative for brand partners are also informed by Disney's swath of consumer data and insights and can leverage commerce-driven ads. 

Advertiser interest in “Project Runway” arrives as U.S. ad spending on connected TV is expected to grow 16.8% in 2025 to reach $33.48 billion, per eMarketer forecasts. Simultaneously, streaming continues to grow as consumers’ preferred method of viewing. Streaming outpaced the combined share of broadcast and cable viewing for the first time in May, according to Nielsen.

Calia by Dick’s Sporting Goods will be featured in a “Project Runway” episode through a sponsored challenge where contestants on the show create a piece inspired by the athleisure brand. The winning look, made from Calia fabric, will be produced and sold at Dick’s. During the same episode, contestants will also be sporting clothing from the brand. 

Additionally, Calia signed on as the first brand to participate in Disney’s new commerce-driven ad solution, Shop the Stream, to allow viewers to shop looks from the marketer from their screens. Commerce media and CTV have been becoming more closely aligned as marketers attempt to generate more tangible results, like foot traffic and sales, from a channel that’s typically leveraged for mass reach. 

Ulta Beauty will serve as the exclusive beauty sponsor of season 21. Integrations include a custom “Salon at Ulta Beauty” on set, which was used by models for hair and makeup each episode before every runway. Additionally, some episodes will include conversations between designers, models and makeup artists about Ulta Beauty services. 

One episode of the series is inspired by PNC Bank’s “Brilliantly Boring” campaign, which asserts the brand’s dedication to being “boring” by staying steady and reliable, by tasking contestants to transform “boring” fabrics into something fresh. PNC and “Project Runway” will also run a custom 30-second spot within the episode, followed by a 10-second co-branded slate that will run once the episodes become available on streaming. Social posts will also run after the episode debuts on Freeform. 

Pilot Pens’ Pilot FriXion Erasable Pen is the exclusive writing tool for contestants, and viewers will see in-show brand integrations and placements of designers using the pen during the season. Lilly hosted a sponsored challenge that tasked contestants to create a comfortable “night on the town” outfit for people with skin sensitivities, including eczema.

In a sponsored challenge, contestants were tasked to create an avant-garde look inspired by Universal Pictures’ forthcoming film “Wicked: For Good.” That episode will also feature an appearance by Paul Tazewell, the Oscar-winning costume designer from the film.

Disney Advertising recently completed its 2025-26 upfronts presentation, reporting that overall volume is consistent with the year prior despite sports and streaming seeing increased sales. Notably, sports advertising volume across linear and addressable is nearly $4 billion, inclusive of 69 multi-year deals and women’s sports volume growth up double digits. Streaming volume accounted for over 40% of total upfront volume, consistent with last year’s totals.