Disney Begins Countdown to International Friendship Day With Launch of Global Campaign, “Mickey & Friends: Stay True”

Disney announced Mickey & Friends: Stay True, a global campaign inspired by the Sensational Six – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto – and their iconic friendship that has spanned over several decades.

Through countless adventures and almost a century’s worth of milestones, the Sensational Six have always stayed true to one another, and now they’re inspiring others to do the same. Starting this week and culminating on July 30, International Friendship Day, fans across the globe are invited to ‘shout out’ their friends and thank them for “staying true” through social media challenges, free digital activations and more, using #MickeyFriendsStayTrue.

Yara Shahidi, Gigi Hadid and Chance the Rapper helped kick off the campaign today with posts celebrating their best friends Sayeed Shahidi, Ehsan Shahidi, Olivia Perez and Taylor Bennett.

“When I think of my earliest memories of friendship and what it means to be a friend, I flashback to the Sensational Six. I am excited to celebrate International Friendship Day with my sensational brothers and the iconic group of Disney friends who have inspired the beauty of friendship.” – Yara Shahidi

“I’ve always been such a big Disney fan, and know any day I get to step foot into a Disney park will be another great one. I have so many amazing memories from childhood to adulthood that include Mickey and the Sensational Six. I’m so happy to be celebrating International Friendship Day alongside these iconic characters!” – Gigi Hadid

“My brother is my best friend and I’m excited to celebrate International Friendship Day alongside him and Mickey Mouse.” – Chance the Rapper

Starting tomorrow, July 24, and leading up to International Friendship Day, Disney will provide fans with calls to action – each inspired by a different member of the Sensational Six – every day via the @mickeytrueoriginal Instagram. Throughout the week, fans will be encouraged to use the #MickeyFriendsStayTrue hashtag to share tales of friendship including stories from celebrities like Yara Shahidi, Gigi Hadid and Chance the Rapper. In addition, “Good Morning America” and syndicated morning talk show “Live with Kelly and Ryan” are joining in the celebration, with special messages to encourage viewers to participate. Some friendship stories could end up being featured on Disney’s social platforms and on “Good Morning America.”

“Celebrating friendship and those who help us stay true to ourselves and others is more important than ever before,” said Kareem Daniel, president of Disney Consumer Products, Games and Publishing. “As families around the world look to Disney to add magic to their daily lives, this campaign highlights the enduring bonds between Mickey and his pals – inviting fans to share in their exciting adventures and iconic friendships.”

The Sensational Six’s rich history of friendship reveals the secrets to a lifelong friend

Being loyal, creating memories and making each other laugh are just some of the ways that Mickey and his friends have continued to stay true to one another for almost a century.

In order to highlight the history of this iconic friend group and reveal what it takes to maintain lifelong friends, Historian Brian Sibley analyzed over 600 hours of Disney films, shorts and featurettes featuring the Sensational Six.

The analysis revealed that loyalty is the number one trait that stands the friendship test of time, with the six friends unwavering in supporting each other. Sharing similar interests and adventures are also key, and laughter really is the best medicine with the characters finding ways to laugh together no matter what.

Other important traits found in the enduring friendships of the characters are making time for each other, being honest when needed, and being thoughtful.

The top 10 qualities that are key to lifelong friendship according to 90 years of Disney stories are:

1. Loyalty (like Pluto always being by Mickey Mouse’s side)
2. Honesty (whether it’s what they want to hear or not, the Sensational Six are always honest with each other)
3. Kindness (like Donald taking on an extra job to pay for a big date with Daisy)
4. Understanding of faults (whether it’s Donald’s feistiness or Goofy’s foolishness, the friends are always forgiving of each other’s faults)
5. Shared interests (like Mickey Mouse and Pluto’s love of fishing)
6. Embracing differences (whether you’re sassy like Daisy or happy-go-lucky like Pluto)
7. Supportive of ambitions (such as Mickey Mouse’s lifelong support for Minnie Mouse’s career paths)
8. Shared sense of humor (whether you’re always laughing like Mickey Mouse or being the comedian like Goofy)
9. Making time for each other (a long running theme with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse)
10. Being thoughtful (such as the birthday surprises the Sensational Six plan for each other every year)

New Products and Promotions Celebrating Friendship

In celebration of the campaign, new product collaborations such as Primark, H&M, Adidas, BIG W, BaubleBar, Ray-Ban, Otterbox and Kellogg’s will be available, along with cross-category products for all ages at retailers all over the world, with more to come later this year. Additionally, on July 23, shopDisney.com will feature a special ‘buy-one-get-one-plush-for-$3’ offer, and on July 28 – July 30, will offer up to 40% off on Mickey & Friends merchandise must-haves.

In addition, the Mickey and Friends: Stay True playlist by Walt Disney Records is now streaming: https://disneymusic.co/MickeyandFriends. Disney+ will feature the Mickey and Friends Collection at the top of the Collections section in Disney+ from July 27 – August 2, in honor of the global campaign.

Disney’s Mickey & Friends: Stay True campaign will continue throughout the year, including celebrating Friendsgiving in November.

For more information on Mickey & Friends: Stay True, follow @MickeyTrueOriginal and #MickeyFriendsStayTrue on Instagram.