Disney to launch UK parenting portal

The Walt Disney Internet Group is launching a new ad-funded parenting portal, UKfamily.co.uk. The first phase of the site will go live on July 17, with a second phase launching in the autumn.

Disney.gifThe Walt Disney Internet Group is launching a ad-funded parenting portal, UKfamily.co.uk. The first phase of the site will go live on July 17, with a second phase launching in the autumn.

UKfamily.co.uk, which has been developed by Disney with parents, will offer helpful information on parenting and social networking opportunities. The site aims to provide advice on the journey from pre-pregnancy to pre-teen. It has signed up writers and experts in the parenting sector including Professor Lesley Regan, the UK’s leading obstetrician and Linda Blair, clinical psychologist and author. The UK site follows the 2007 launch of U.S. site Disney Family.com.

The site will offer a variety of advertising and sponsorship deals including traditional online display advertising such as banners, skyscrapers, MPUs but will also allow brands to target specific areas such as parenting by age/stage, advice areas, user generated content, community and how-to videos. Ad2One will handled the advertising sales for the portal.

There are an estimated 6.5 million families with children under the age of 13 in the UK and more than 4 million UK mothers are already regularly online.

Meanwhile, the group, which covers multi-media content on the internet and mobile platforms, has made a number of key appointments in its European team.

Alex Baillie is joining as commercial director for Europe Middle East and Africa, from Unanimis, where he was head of brand sales. Alan Welsman, the former head of entertainment at Orange, has also joined as marketing director for Europe. Finally, it has  appointed Julie Adair as director of product operations. She was previously head of new media at BBC Scotland.