Disney XD Launched to Tween Boys

Source: Tween Parent

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The Walt Disney Company recently launched a boy-focused entertainment brand called Disney XD, consisting of a new cable television channel; a website with games, music, videos; and a social networking component.

The introduction of Disney XD makes sense when you consider that up until the launch of the Lizzie McGuire franchise, there was very little specifically targeted to the post-prince/princess phase. It hasn't taken companies, like Disney, long to capitalize on the opportunity associated with the "I'm cool and I want to be older and I'm done with the little kid stuff" group of discerning tweens. Hence the wild success of the recent brands of Hannah Montana, the High School Musical franchise and music groups like the Jonas Brothers. Having addressed the tween girl market, the question loomed...what about the tween boys? Disney's answer is Disney XD (a re-focus and re-launch of the former Toon Disney channel).

Tween boys, it turns out, had largely been engaged in cable shows offered by Viacom's Nickelodeon and Time Warner's Cartoon Network. After having conducted in-depth research to gain a detailed understanding of tween boy interests, Disney is poised to deliver content to appeal to boys' interests in discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. The content, primarily targeted toward the wide age range of 6-14 year old boys, is offered through original action/adventure and comedy series, movies, animation and sports-themed shows (developed with ESPN; owned by Disney).

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"Aaron Stone" is expected to be a cornerstone of Disney XD. The title character, in a live-action show, plays an "average" video-game-loving, basketball-playing high school student who leads a secret double life as a crime fighter for a secret spy organization (not unlike "Hannah Montana," in which an ordinary teen leads a double life as a rock star).

Former "The Wonder Years" child star Fred Savage directed the pilot for "Mongoose & Luther," a mock documentary series about two best friends who set out to become the world's greatest skateboarders.

In addition to new content such as "RoboDz," in which robotic life forms defend Earth from space invaders, Disney XD also includes several well-established animated series, from "Phineas and Ferb" to "Batman: The Animated Series."

It was Disney's intent to keep Disney XD consistent with the image that is a hallmark of Disney (with the same type of story-telling and the same family-friendly values). The differentiation in this case is a different look and focused content designed for the tween boy!

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