Went through a Disney account executive / sales interview for a role on the Disney Advertising Sales team (the group that sells ads on Hulu and the Disney+ ad tier). Took the offer. Here's what the process looked like and what surprised me.
Background: 8 years in enterprise sales, mostly B2B SaaS. Disney was my first media/advertising role. That context matters because the sales motion is different.
Process:
Recruiter screen, then a quick call with the hiring manager to assess fit. Then three rounds:
Round 1, case study presentation: They sent me a brief in advance. I had to build a pitch for a fictional CPG brand to advertise on Disney+/Hulu, selecting the right audience targeting capabilities, formats, and measurement approach. I had a week to prep. This is where most people get eliminated. If you don't understand programmatic advertising, CTV, or audience segmentation at least at a conceptual level, you'll struggle here.
Round 2, panel interview: Three people: a VP of sales, a sales planner, and someone from the client solutions team. They asked about how I'd handle a brand client who had only bought social ads and was skeptical about CTV performance. They also asked about quota attainment history pretty directly. Have your numbers ready. Not just "exceeded quota" but the actual percentage and dollar amount.
Round 3, behavioral + leadership: One-on-one with the VP. Heavy on STAR-format questions. Biggest one: tell me about a deal you lost and what you learned. They're looking for self-awareness. Also asked about how I manage relationships when a campaign underperforms.
What surprised me: Disney advertising is selling at the intersection of brand safety, audience scale, and IP. Advertisers pay a premium to be next to Disney content. So part of the role is educating brands on why that premium is worth it. It's consultative, not transactional. The interviewers kept pushing on how I'd handle a skeptical CFO who's used to direct response metrics.
Comp: Base salary around $130-145k depending on territory. OTE 1.5-1.7x base. The upside is real if you have the right accounts. Benefits are strong, which you'd expect from Disney.
Tip: Know the Disney media portfolio. Hulu, Disney+, ESPN, ABC, Nat Geo. Know roughly what each offers advertisers. They won't expect you to be an expert on day one but showing you did the homework matters a lot.