The Partnership
Paris Baguette is stepping into primetime with a multi-platform sponsorship of "Dancing with the Stars" Season 35, collaborating with Disney Advertising on an activation package that includes in-show moments, podcast sponsorship, custom branded content, and two exclusive limited-time beverages hitting café counters September 14. The deal marks one of the more elaborate entertainment co-branding plays the fast-growing bakery café franchise has executed as it pushes toward a projected 1,000 North American units by 2030.
The LTO Menu Play
The centerpiece of the operator-facing activation is a pair of Mirrorball-branded iced drinks: the Mirrorball Croissant Iced Latte, built on Lavazza espresso with a buttery croissant flavor and served with a mini croissant garnish, and the Mirrorball Croissant Iced Matcha, using ceremonial-grade matcha in the same format. Both carry branded sleeves and a sparkling Mirrorball accent, borrowing visual equity from the show's iconic Len Goodman trophy. For franchisees, the LTO gives the beverage daypart a traffic-driving hook tied to a weekly live broadcast audience on ABC and Disney+.
The loyalty mechanic layers on top of the product launch. On National Dance Day, September 19, PB Rewards members can redeem a BOGO FREE offer on either Mirrorball beverage — a straightforward frequency driver that also pushes app downloads, a key unit-economics lever for café operators managing labor-intensive beverage programs. Select locations in New York and Los Angeles will distribute a limited-edition collector's cup the same day, adding a scarcity element that rewards high-traffic urban units.
Sweepstakes and Broader Activation
Beginning October 1, Paris Baguette will run an Instagram sweepstakes offering one winner round-trip travel for two, two-night hotel accommodations, and tickets to the Season 35 finale in Los Angeles — extending the brand's visibility through the back half of the show's run. A custom in-show spot featuring "Dancing with the Stars" talent is slated to air during each live episode, giving the chain national broadcast exposure that would otherwise require significant paid media spend.
"There's a shared artistry in the passion, precision, and creativity behind a beautifully crafted pastry or beverage and a captivating dance performance," said Cathy Chavanet, Chief Marketing Officer of Paris Baguette North America, framing the partnership around craft positioning rather than pure promotional mechanics.
For the bakery café segment — a daypart battleground where chains like Panera Bread and regional independents compete on beverage innovation and loyalty engagement — entertainment co-branding represents a cost-efficient awareness channel. Paris Baguette's franchise development pipeline, which targets neighborhood café placements rather than highway end-caps, benefits disproportionately from culturally resonant moments that drive trial in new markets. The DWTS deal runs concurrent with the chain's continued franchise expansion push, a strategic priority as the brand scales its area development agreements across underserved suburban trade areas.
Operators in the system should also note the dual-platform broadcast footprint: Season 35 airs live on ABC and streams next-day on Hulu, with Disney+ as a concurrent home, meaning the sponsorship reaches both linear and streaming audiences throughout the fall — a media mix increasingly relevant to the QSR and fast-casual segment's target demographics.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
