The “Further” Adventures of National Geographic
Famous undertakings are sometimes remembered in a single word. For example, many people instantly recall the groundbreaking 1960s film The Graduate when they hear “plastics,” the one word that a partygoer told Dustin Hoffman's character to keep in mind for future investment purposes. National Geographic Channel, and every other area of parent National Geographic Society, expect the same thing to happen as a result of their upcoming re-brand campaign, which revolves around the word "Further." It kicks off November 14 with the premiere of Nat Geo’s ambitious miniseries Mars, and it is designed to unify the nature of things to come for both network and parent.
Also on November 14, the television network and all related areas – including its web site, its social media platforms and all of its digital content -- will drop the word "Channel" from the group title and be known simply as National Geographic.
"[Further] represents change going forward," declared Declan Moore (pictured at top), Chief Executive Officer of National Geographic Partners, the joint venture National Geographic and 21st Century Fox formed last fall. “We're recharging our organization for the 21st century." Together with Courteney Monroe (pictured below), CEO of National Geographic Global Networks, Moore made the announcement at an event last week held on the top floor of the Freedom Tower.
A new on-air look, designed by Gretel NY, features the "Further" tag and animated "index screens" that offer timelines of subjects covered by the network. They will be displayed throughout the programming day via promotional messages and talent interstitials. In some cases, these screens will show up during original series such as Mars, which depicts the possible colonization of that planet in a production told via a distinctive blend of scripted and unscripted material.
Every other business endeavor at National Geographic, including the long-running magazine and sister channels Nat Geo WILD and NatGeo Mundo will also adopt the "Further" look and tone. The second leg of the campaign, taking place early 2017, will introduce special "Further" magazine sections in part offering in-depth looks at network originals, and a "Further" Web series that may be available via smart TV sets and devices like Chromecast, Apple TV and Roku.
Until the next time, stay well and stay tuned!
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Simon Applebaum
Simon Applebaum has covered the TV medium for more than 38 years. Now a regular MediaVillage columnist, he produces and hosts Tomorrow Will Be Televised, a program all about TV, now in its 12th year. Previously, he was a senior editor for various TV-centric …
