Disney’s blockbuster partnership with TikTok could be about far more than giving creators access to Marvel, Star Wars and Toy Story clips. According to media analyst and professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Evan Shapiro, the deal signals Disney’s next big advertising play — one that could see the entertainment giant package and sell advertising across both Disney Streaming and TikTok, allowing it to compete more directly with social platforms for mobile audiences. Under the deal, creators will be able to incorporate clips from Disney’s vast catalogue — including Star Wars, Toy Story and the Marvel Cinematic Universe — into TikTok videos. However, in a recent Substack post shared with B&T, Shapiro argued the creator announcement is only one piece of a much bigger commercial strategy. “This move allows Disney to begin to compete with social platforms, on mobile, outside the living room,” Shapiro wrote.