The Walt Disney Company and National Geographic Celebrate Earth Month with New Global Cross-Platform Campaign, ‘ourHOME’
Environmental Sustainability & Nature
April 2, 2024
The Walt Disney Company and National Geographic announced today a new global cross-platform campaign, ourHOME, timed to coincide with Earth Month. The campaign will spotlight efforts internally and externally that help protect, restore and celebrate ourHOME by highlighting creators, storytellers, and cast members for their contributions.
For over a century, Disney has created stories that celebrate the wonders of the world we all share. And for more than 136 years, National Geographic has been synonymous with inspiring a deeper connection to our world. This year, these two powerful legacies are coming together to celebrate this beautiful planet we call home and the power within each of us to create change for the better.
ourHOME will bring compelling stories to the forefront, including highlighting efforts being undertaken as part of Disney Planet Possible, our commitment to taking meaningful and measurable action to support a healthier planet for people and wildlife. A new digital series will be released spotlighting three Disney Planet Possible stories with Nat Geo talent visiting Walt Disney World Resort to see the work firsthand.
Disney+ marks the occasion with the launch of an ourHOME content collection, featuring some of the very best storytellers and content creators celebrating the planet, including the critically acclaimed series Queens, A Real Bug’s Life, and Incredible Animal Journeys, along with the full library of Disneynature films.
Additionally, on Earth Day, April 22, 2024, the latest installment of National Geographic’s Emmy® Award-winning Secrets Of… franchise will premiere; Secrets of the Octopus is narrated by Paul Rudd. Also streaming on Disney+, Disneynature’s all-new feature film Tiger, narrated by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, journeys alongside a young tigress raising her rambunctious cubs in the fabled forests of India.
“National Geographic is one of the most beloved and trusted global brands with a combined social media following of more than 750 million people. We harness this reach to remind people that the world is an amazing and miraculous place, filled with beauty, awe and wonder,” said Courteney Monroe, President, National Geographic. “This Earth Month we hope by sharing this passion we can also inspire others to protect, restore, and celebrate our home.”
“Disney is committed to putting possibility into practice and inspiring optimism for a brighter, cleaner, and more environmentally sustainable future,” said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, The Walt Disney Company. “We hope the ourHOME campaign with Nat Geo helps bring greater awareness of the beauty and majesty of our planet to audiences everywhere.”
ourHOME will touch every area of The Walt Disney Company:
ourHOME Digital
- DisneyPlanetPossible.com – Destination detailing actions The Walt Disney Company is taking to protect, restore, and celebrate our planet.
- NatGeo.com/ourHOME – Destination for details on National Geographic’s storied history of being a steward for the planet as well as ourHOME campaign content.
- National Geographic Social – Using the full power of the National Geographic social platforms, ourHOME will be amplified throughout the month, with curated daily posts around the three campaign pillars—Protect, Restore, Celebrate—as well as highlights of efforts across the entire campaign.
- All relevant social handles will be celebrating ourHOME all month long, including @Disney, @Disney+, @NatGeo, @NatGeoTV, @NatGeoWILD, @NatGeoTravel, @Disney, @NatGeoAdventure, and @NatGeoDocs.
- ourHOME Digital Series highlighting Disney Planet Possible stories with Alex Honnold (Free Solo) visiting Walt Disney World to learn more about how the company’s solar arrays not only provide renewable electricity but also provide habitat for bees and other pollinators; Mariana Van Zeller (award-winning journalist) visiting Walt Disney World to learn more about the recycling efforts at the parks, specifically related to the glass pulverizing initiative; and the Critter Fixers visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World to learn about wildlife care and conservation success stories at the park (along with some cute baby animals).
ourHOME Content
- ourHOME Collection on Disney+ – Disney+ is launching an ourHOME collection with content that celebrates the beauty, awe, and wonder of our planet.
- Eclipse Across America – April 8, 2024, National Geographic and ABC News partner for a two-hour live special to celebrate and capture the eclipse across the country.
- Secrets of the Octopus – The next installment of this franchise in partnership with James Cameron debuts on Earth Day.
- Disneynature’s Tiger – The all-new feature film narrated by Chopra Jonas streams on Disney+ beginning on Earth Day, marking 15 Years since Disneynature’s inaugural release, Earth.
- ourHOME-themed programming will be scheduled across National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo MUNDO, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Freeform, FX, and FXX.
- A dedicated ourHOME spot featuring the voice of Morgan Freeman will air throughout the month across all of Disney networks, Disney owned television stations, and select digital platforms.
- A special screening of the award-winning feature documentary JANE will be held at the Greek Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday, April 3, to commemorate Jane Goodall’s 90th birthday.
ourHOME in the Parks
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort will celebrate Earth Week from April 21–28 with specialty offerings and experiences that connect audiences with the magic of nature.
- The ourHOME Castle show at Disneyland Paris, highlighting scenes and images inspired by National Geographic explorers, will happen in the month of April.
- Walt Disney World will have Earth Month-themed food throughout the month of April.
- Photo Activations – There will be special photo activations for park goers at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disneyland Resort to celebrate the launch of Secrets of the Octopus.
- Animation Academy – There will be a special drawing activity at Disney California Adventure tied to Secrets of the Octopus.
- Shanghai Disney Resort will host the ourHOME Nature Conservation Forum on April 22, joined by National Geographic Explorer Xi Zhinong. It will also see the return of the “Celebrate Earth – Earth Month Fair” at Disneytown from April 19–22.
ourHOME Giving
- The Walt Disney Company will be making grants in excess of $1 million to charitable organizations through the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF). Funds will support global efforts to protect, restore and celebrate ourHOME. These programs add to the cumulative $125 million giving impact of DCF since it was established in 1995, with more than 1,000 species supported through programs that span half the countries of the world and all five oceans. Here are just a few examples happening this month:
- Jane Goodall’s 90th birthday – In celebration of Goodall’s 90th birthday on April 3 and in honor of her storied history with the company, Disney will provide funding to Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots, a program of the Jane Goodall Institute that empowers young people to create a better world for humans, other animals and our shared environment.
- Disneynature’s Tiger: In celebration of the film’s release, DCF will also provide funding to support the conservation of tigers across Asia.
ourHOME in the Community
- Disney VoluntEARS – There will be activations with various partners and organizations for TWDC employees to take action for the planet.
ourHOME with Cast Members
- Special employee-engagement screenings and events will be held in Disney offices around the world.
ourHOME Around the Globe
- The ourHOME campaign will be part of Disney Earth Month celebrations around the world in major regions in EMEA, APAC, and LATAM.