Disney is huge, and it’s been huge for decades – that’s no secret. But the Disney Channel itself became one of the biggest influences on pre-teen and teenage culture for a spell of a decade or so, beginning in the mid-2000s. It underwent a rebrand two decades ago, and as had to do the same again in recent years – and other brands could learn a thing or two from its constant reinvention.
When Anne Sweeney took over as president of Disney-ABC Television Group in 2004, live-action shows like Lizzie McGuire and That’s So Raven, featuring young casts dealing with the usual coming-of-age issues – sometimes with supernatural or far-fetched elements – had proved popular for the company.
