The Marketing Strategy of Dancing With the Stars: How a 20-Year-Old Show Won 2025

In 2025, Dancing with the Stars is not just surviving; it is surging. Season 34 marked the show’s 20th anniversary and, instead of aging out, it became “more popular than ever” thanks to social media, creator-heavy casting, and smart distribution. (Northeastern University) Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy now treats the ballroom as one stage and TikTok, Instagram, and streaming platforms as another, turning each episode into an ongoing content engine. The result is a franchise that reaches TikTok kids, nostalgia lovers, and grandparents at the same time.

• Dancing with the Stars 2025 reframes a legacy show as a live social media and streaming event.
  
• The marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars combines casting, distribution, and fandom into one system.
  
• The format did not radically change; the way it is marketed and experienced did.
  

At a Glance

• Season 34 of Dancing with the Stars in 2025 is described as “one of the show’s most successful,” with viewership increasing week after week rather than declining. (Northeastern University) 
• The Season 34 premiere on September 16, 2025, delivered 5.5 million viewers, up 6 percent from the previous year and the highest debut since 2020, with votes rising from 8 million in the Season 33 premiere to 21 million on the opening night of Season 34. (King Street Chronicle) 
• The show now streams live on ABC and Disney+, with full episodes available the next day on Hulu, which Disney Advertising highlights as “shining” across all three platforms. (Accio) (Disney Advertising) 

Multi Platform Distribution As A Core Growth Engine

One of the biggest shifts in the marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars has been its move from a single-network show to a multi-platform live event. After briefly going streaming only on Disney+, the franchise settled into a simulcast model where Dancing with the Stars 2025 airs live on ABC and Disney+ with next day streaming on Hulu, plus additional content on YouTube and other services. (Accio) This distribution strategy lets Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy reach traditional TV viewers, cord cutters and on-demand streamers without fragmenting the brand.

• ABC delivers classic prime time “appointment viewing” at 8 p.m. ET.
  
• Disney+ captures younger, streaming-first viewers, including Gen Z fans.
  
• Hulu provides a next-day window for busy viewers, creating a second wave of engagement.
  
• Clips and extras on the official YouTube channel and social feeds fill in the gaps between episodes.
  

Casting As Marketing: “Casting The Audience”

Casting is now a central part of the marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars. Season 34 combined nostalgic actors, Olympians, reality TV personalities and social media influencers such as Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt, each bringing their own audience. (Northeastern University) The show’s casting director Deena Katz describes this approach as “casting the audience” so that, even if viewers do not know every celebrity, everyone knows someone, which pulls many micro fanbases into one shared show. (Evie Magazine)

• Influencers and reality stars arrive with built-in social media fandoms.
  
• Nostalgia picks, such as Elaine Hendrix from “The Parent Trap,” attract older viewers.
  
• Athletes and creators bring sports and TikTok audiences who might not watch ballroom otherwise.
  
• Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy leverages these fanbases to create cross-generational reach.

Social Media As A Second Stage

Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy now treats TikTok and Instagram as a second stage, not just a promo channel. Northeastern’s analysis notes that Season 34 includes theme nights like TikTok Night, where songs and choreography are chosen for how well they will perform as one-minute clips, and that every weekly dance is cut and posted to social so people can follow along on those platforms. (Northeastern University) A recent marketing case study describes how the show has moved from simply clipping episodes to designing content for social platforms from the start, with rehearsals, bloopers and day-in-the-life snippets crafted for vertical video. (Nativa)

• TikTok-themed nights are built to generate shareable short-form dances.
  
• Weekly routines are posted quickly to TikTok and Instagram for rewatching and remixing.
  
• Behind-the-scenes content turns the learning process into daily entertainment.
  
• Social content keeps Dancing with the Stars 2025 in feeds all week, not just on Tuesday nights.
  

Creators And Pros As Built-In Influencers

The Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy has shifted attention from just the celebrities to the professional dancers and younger cast members who behave like creators. Pros such as Rylee Arnold document rehearsals, food runs, and goofy moments on TikTok, and showrunner Conrad Green has said that social media-savvy pros help other contestants reach fans where they already are. (Evie Magazine) The Nativa analysis highlights that younger pros and contestants, especially those active on TikTok, have become key conduits for Gen Z engagement. (Nativa)

• Professional dancers behave like recurring creator characters, not just background partners.
  
• Contestants with large followings act as amplifiers for the Dancing with the Stars brand.
  
• Parasocial relationships with pros and influencers keep fans invested across seasons.
  
• This creator's first approach is a pillar of how Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy reaches Gen Z.
  

Fandom, Voting And A Return To Shared Pop Culture

Dancing with the Stars 2025 has become an unlikely symbol of “shared pop culture” in a fragmented streaming world. Evie Magazine argues that the show brings TikTok kids, nostalgia lovers and grandparents back to watching the same thing at the same time, reviving the weekly ritual of live TV plus next-day arguments. (Evie Magazine) King Street Chronicle reports that audience engagement has deepened, with votes surging from 8 million in the Season 33 premiere to 21 million on the opening night of Season 34. (King Street Chronicle)

• Live voting turns viewers into participants, not passive watchers.
  
• Weekly episodes build anticipation and shared conversation across age groups.
  
• Fan communities on TikTok and other platforms extend debates and support between episodes.
  
• High vote counts signal that fandom is a functional part of the Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy, not just a side feature.
  

Demographic Targeting: From Boomers To Gen Z

The King Street Chronicle describes how Dancing with the Stars has “revitalized its success through demographic targeting, nostalgia economics, and digital virality,” casting both nostalgic stars and trending creators to engage every generation. (King Street Chronicle) Northeastern’s piece notes that casting Charli D’Amelio for Season 31 and later Alix Earle in Dancing with the Stars 2025 was a turning point in attracting Gen Z and younger millennials, while still keeping older viewers through legacy contestants and classic ballroom styles. (Northeastern University)

• Nostalgia casting appeals to older viewers who remember earlier TV eras.
  
• Influencers and Olympians attract younger audiences used to creator culture.
  
• Younger pros like Rylee Arnold make ballroom dancing feel current and accessible.
  
• The marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars carefully balances tradition with internet era energy.
  

Disney Ecosystem And Advertiser Positioning

From a corporate perspective, Dancing with the Stars is a showcase franchise inside Disney’s portfolio. Disney Advertising’s Road to the Upfront messaging highlights that “Dancing with the Stars is shining on ABC, Disney+, and next day on Hulu,” presenting it alongside live sports and other tentpole events as a driver of fandom and cross-platform reach. (Disney Advertising) Upfront coverage in trade press notes that Disney’s 2024 to 25 ad sales grew about 5 percent, with live, fandom-driven shows and streaming inventory as central pillars. (Variety)

• The franchise fits perfectly into Disney’s story about live, shared experiences in a streaming world.
  
• Multi-platform distribution gives advertisers flexible reach by age and viewing habits.
  
• Dancing with the Stars 2025 is packaged as both nostalgia and innovation in Disney’s pitch.
  
• For advertisers, the show’s strong fandom and voting engagement translate into high-value impressions.
  

Retail And Cross-Industry Effects

Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy also creates halo effects in retail and entertainment. A 2025 analysis by Accio notes that the Season 34 premiere corresponded with an 82 percent spike in online searches for dance-related products during premiere week, from sequinned outfits to dance shoes and fitness gear. (Accio) The article describes how retailers now time campaigns, inventory, and themed merchandise around the show’s Tuesday night slot, treating the broadcast as a predictable engagement window for synchronized “entertainment-inspired” shopping experiences.

• The show directly drives demand for dance, fashion and fitness products.
  
• Retailers use DWTS airing patterns to plan promotions and limited drops.
  
• Brands increasingly align capsule collections and campaigns with theme nights.
  
• Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy has become part of a broader live entertainment commerce trend.
  

Brand Experience: Spectacle, Sets, And Story

A big part of Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy is simply that the show feels like an experience. Architectural Digest’s 2025 feature on the set team explains how each dance gets its own mini world, from Star Wars cantinas to Glinda’s pink bedroom, built and swapped in minutes to support storytelling. (Architectural Digest) Northeastern notes that viewers no longer just see polished performances but the messy learning behind them, which makes the eventual spectacle more satisfying. (Northeastern University)

• Carefully crafted sets and lighting make each routine feel like a music video moment.
  
• Behind-the-scenes footage on social builds emotional investment in those moments.
  
• The show balances TikTok-friendly spectacle with traditional ballroom discipline.
  
• This integrated brand experience is a core part of why Dancing with the Stars 2025 feels fresh rather than dated.
  

Lessons From The Dancing With the Stars Marketing

Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy is a masterclass in updating access and engagement without discarding the core format. The show modernised its distribution with ABC, Disney+ and Hulu, rethought casting to include creators and nostalgia avatars, and redesigned its week around social media so that each routine is both a live event and a short-form asset. Dancing with the Stars 2025 shows that legacy formats can still thrive if they are willing to act like content engines, treat fans as participants and use social platforms as a second stage rather than a billboard.

• Modernise where and how people can watch before you throw out the format.
  
• Cast people your target audience already loves, not only traditional celebrities.
  
• Design episodes from the ground up with shareable moments and fan interaction.
  
• Use social and streaming to keep the brand alive between live broadcasts.
  

FAQ

What is the core marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars right now?

The core marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars is to pair a classic ballroom competition with modern distribution, creator-heavy casting and constant social content so that each season, especially Dancing with the Stars 2025, functions as both live event television and an ongoing social media phenomenon.

How did Dancing with the Stars 2025 grow its audience?

Dancing with the Stars 2025 grew its audience by simulcasting on ABC and Disney+, streaming episodes on Hulu, casting influencers and nostalgia stars, and using TikTok, Instagram and behind-the-scenes content to keep viewers engaged between live shows. 

Why is social media so important to the Dancing with the Stars marketing strategy?
Social media is critical because it turns each routine into a short, shareable clip and allows pros and contestants to document the process, which pulls in Gen Z viewers and turns voting and fandom into a continuous loop rather than a once-a-week event. 

How does distribution contribute to the marketing strategy of Dancing with the Stars?

Distribution is central, since airing live on ABC and Disney+ with next-day streaming on Hulu lets Dancing with the Stars reach traditional TV audiences, streaming first viewers and on-demand watchers, which maximises fandom and advertiser appeal across demographics. 

What can other brands learn from Dancing with the Stars' marketing strategy?

Other brands can learn to modernise access without abandoning their core product, to treat casting and partnerships as marketing, to design for social from the beginning, and to build interaction into their experiences so that fans feel like participants rather than spectators.