Disney's Friends for Change

Disney's Friends for Change, also known as Friends for Change: Project Green, was a pro-social environmental initiative developed for Disney Channel and associated Disney media platforms. It operated from 2009 until the mid-2010s and used Disney's youth-oriented entertainment channels, popular television performers, music releases, online pledges and televised events to encourage young audiences to participate in environmental action. The initiative focused on four broad areas: climate, waste, water and habitat. Rather than presenting environmentalism solely as an institutional or scientific issue, Friends for Change translated it into practical activities that children and families could undertake, such as recycling, conserving water and reducing waste. Viewers could make environmental pledges through the Disney Channel website and participate in a voting process that helped determine how Disney would allocate one million dollars among environmental programs. A central feature of the campaign was the use of Disney Channel and Radio Disney personalities. Original participants included Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and the Jonas Brothers, while more than 56 Disney Channel and Disney XD performers were associated with the initiative over time. Their participation connected environmental messages with the network's existing entertainment franchises and gave the campaign a highly recognizable youth-facing identity. Friends for Change also expanded beyond public-service announcements. The campaign supported original songs and music videos, including "Send It On," "Make a Wave," "We Can Change the World" and "Rise." These releases combined promotional entertainment with charitable or conservation-related objectives. "Make a Wave," performed by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, was associated with the 2010 Disneynature film Oceans, while "Rise," performed by the McClain Sisters, was used in connection with the 2012 Disneynature film Chimpanzee. In 2011, Disney introduced the Friends for Change Games, a televised competition and variety format that replaced the Disney Channel Games. The first edition premiered on Disney Channel on June 24, 2011. It brought together Disney performers in challenges designed around teamwork and environmental themes. A related behind-the-scenes special, Lights, Camera, Take Action! Backstage with Disney's Friends for Change, showed the production process and helped extend the campaign across Disney's programming schedule. The initiative was part of Disney's wider corporate conservation and social-responsibility activity, including connections with the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. It was not a standalone commercial product line and did not operate as an independent environmental organization. Its principal value was as a media campaign and branded participation platform that linked environmental education, talent promotion, music, television specials and charitable giving. Friends for Change was gradually discontinued without a prominent formal closure announcement. The campaign became less visible as participating performers left Disney programs, as the Friends for Change Games ended, and as Disney's youth networks and environmental communications evolved. It is therefore best understood as a completed Disney Channel initiative rather than an active brand.

Disney's Friends for Change was introduced in 2009 as a Disney Channel environmental initiative aimed primarily at children and teenagers. It was also referred to as Friends for Change: Project Green. The program used Disney Channel, Radio Disney and Disney's online properties to frame environmental responsibility as a set of practical actions that young viewers could undertake in daily life. The campaign's communications concentrated on climate, waste, water and habitat. Short television and radio announcements featured performers from Disney Channel programming and encouraged viewers to make pledges, including commitments related to recycling and other environmentally responsible habits. The use of familiar actors and musicians made the campaign an extension of Disney's entertainment ecosystem rather than a conventional public-information program. Among the original recognizable participants were Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and the Jonas Brothers. More than 56 Disney Channel and Disney XD stars were associated with the initiative over its life, although participation changed as performers joined or left Disney programs. An interactive element allowed viewers to pledge actions online through the Disney Channel website. Disney also invited viewers to vote on how one million dollars would be invested in environmental programs. This mechanism gave the audience a participatory role and connected the media campaign to concrete conservation funding. The initiative was presented as an alternative to the Disney Channel Games in 2009 and 2010, when the network emphasized Friends for Change-related environmental programming instead. Music became one of the campaign's most visible extensions. "Make a Wave," performed by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, was introduced in 2010 and linked to the Disneynature film Oceans. The song's music video combined the performers' footage with ocean imagery, and digital-release proceeds were designated for environmental charities through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. In 2011, Bridgit Mendler recorded "We Can Change the World" for the first Friends for Change Games. The release was accompanied by a Disney contribution to conservation efforts and a music video featuring international Disney talent. In 2012, the McClain Sisters released "Rise," which supported the second Friends for Change Games and was also used in the end credits of Chimpanzee. The campaign returned to a competition-based format with the first Disney's Friends for Change Games, which premiered on Disney Channel on June 24, 2011. The program replaced the Disney Channel Games and brought together Disney performers in an environmentally themed televised event. A related 30-minute production, Lights, Camera, Take Action! Backstage with Disney's Friends for Change, provided behind-the-scenes coverage of the initiative. It was hosted by Tiffany Thornton and directed by Michael Blum and Tracy Pion. Friends for Change formed part of Disney's broader corporate conservation messaging and benefited from the promotional reach of Disney's youth-media networks, music distribution and film marketing. It did not function as an independent charity, consumer-goods brand or permanent institutional program. Instead, it was a branded communications and participation initiative linking entertainment content with environmental action and donations. The campaign became less prominent in the mid-2010s. Its decline appears to have been gradual rather than marked by a separately announced termination. Dedicated programming ended, participating talent moved on from Disney productions, and the brand ceased to have a visible continuing role in Disney Channel's schedule. The initiative is consequently regarded as defunct, with its principal historical significance lying in its integration of children's television, celebrity advocacy, online participation, music and conservation fundraising.

1. 2015Initiative is quietly discontinued

   Friends for Change disappears from Disney's youth programming during the mid-2010s.

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2. 2012Rise supports the second Friends for Change Games

   The McClain Sisters release "Rise" for the campaign; the song is also used with Disneynature's Chimpanzee.

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3. 2011First Friends for Change Games premiere

   The first Friends for Change Games premiere on Disney Channel on June 24, replacing the Disney Channel Games.

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4. 2011We Can Change the World released

   Bridgit Mendler's campaign song is released for the Friends for Change Games and associated conservation fundraising.

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5. 2010Make a Wave campaign song released

   Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas release "Make a Wave" in association with Friends for Change and the Disneynature film Oceans.

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6. 2009Friends for Change launches

   Disney Channel and Radio Disney begin promoting an environmental initiative focused on climate, waste, water and habitat, supported by youth-oriented public-service announcements and online pledges.

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A youth-oriented environmental engagement platform that used Disney entertainment, celebrity talent and interactive media to make conservation and sustainable behavior accessible to children and families.

• Friends for Change public-service announcementsTelevision and radio campaign2009

  Short Disney Channel and Radio Disney announcements featuring Disney performers and encouraging young audiences to take practical environmental actions. Messages addressed climate, waste, water and habitat and directed viewers toward online pledges and campaign participation.

• Disney's Friends for Change GamesTelevised special and competition2011

  A Disney Channel competition format in which Disney performers participated in environmentally themed challenges. The first edition premiered in 2011 and replaced the Disney Channel Games.

• Make a WaveCampaign song2010

  A song performed by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas for Friends for Change. It was connected with the Disneynature film Oceans, and proceeds from its digital release were directed toward environmental charities through Disney's conservation activities.

• We Can Change the WorldCampaign song2011

  Bridgit Mendler's Friends for Change anthem, released in connection with the first Friends for Change Games and accompanied by a music video featuring Disney performers from multiple markets.

• RiseCampaign song2012

  A song performed by the McClain Sisters for Friends for Change and the second Friends for Change Games. It was also used in the end credits of the Disneynature film Chimpanzee.

• 2011Friends for Change Games

  United States

  Disney Channel launched a televised environmental competition featuring Disney performers and related behind-the-scenes programming.

  Outcome. The format replaced the Disney Channel Games and became one of the initiative's principal television extensions.

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• 2010Make a Wave

  United States

  Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas released a conservation-themed song associated with Friends for Change and Oceans. The song and its video connected ocean imagery with youth participation and charitable giving.

  Outcome. Digital-release proceeds were designated for environmental charities through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.

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• 2009Friends for Change: Project Green

  United States · International Disney Channel markets

  Disney used television, radio, online pledges and youth talent to encourage action on climate, waste, water and habitat. Viewers could commit to environmentally responsible habits and vote on the distribution of conservation funding.

  Outcome. The campaign became a recurring Disney Channel platform and involved more than 56 Disney Channel and Disney XD performers over time.

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• 2011Launch the Friends for Change GamesProduct launch

  Disney sought to extend Friends for Change beyond public-service announcements and online pledges.

  What changed. Disney Channel premiered the first Friends for Change Games on June 24, 2011.

  Aftermath. The campaign gained a competition and variety-show component supported by original music and backstage programming.

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• 2011Link campaign music to conservation fundingStrategy

  Disney used original songs to combine entertainment promotion with environmental fundraising.

  What changed. The release of We Can Change the World was accompanied by a reported $250,000 Disney contribution to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.

  Aftermath. Music releases became recurring campaign assets, followed by Rise in 2012.

  Disney contribution associated with We Can Change the World. $250,000 (2011)

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• 2009Use Friends for Change in place of Disney Channel GamesStrategy

  Disney presented the environmental initiative instead of the Disney Channel Games during 2009 and 2010.

  What changed. The network shifted youth-event programming toward environmental messaging and participation.

  Aftermath. A dedicated Friends for Change Games format was later introduced in 2011.

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• 2015Friends for Change fades from Disney programming

  The initiative was quietly discontinued during the mid-2010s as its dedicated programming and talent-led activities disappeared from Disney's youth-media schedule.

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• 2012Rise released for Friends for Change and Chimpanzee

  The McClain Sisters released "Rise" for the Friends for Change campaign and second Friends for Change Games. The song was also used in the end credits of the Disneynature film Chimpanzee.

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• 2011Friends for Change Games premiere on Disney Channel

  The first Friends for Change Games premiered on June 24, 2011, replacing the Disney Channel Games and extending the initiative into a televised competition format.

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• 2011We Can Change the World supports the first Friends for Change Games

  Bridgit Mendler's campaign song was released in connection with the first Friends for Change Games. Disney announced a $250,000 contribution to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund in connection with the song's release.

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• 2010Make a Wave released for Friends for Change and Oceans

  Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas released "Make a Wave" as a Friends for Change song connected with the Disneynature film Oceans. Proceeds from the digital release were directed toward environmental charities through Disney's conservation activities.

  Product launchCampaign
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• 2009Disney launches Friends for Change environmental initiative

  Disney Channel began using its television, radio and online platforms to promote Friends for Change, asking young viewers to pledge environmentally responsible actions and participate in conservation-related activities.

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• 2009Disney Channel stars support Friends for Change messaging

  Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers and other Disney performers appeared in short-form campaign communications addressing climate, waste, water and habitat.

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1. Disney's Friends for Change
2. Disney Friends for Change official website