Discovery Channel Logo Update
April 13, 2008 by Susan Gunelius
Filed under Marketing
The Discovery Channel will launch a new logo during Deadliest Catch on April 15th. The new logo was created by Viewpoint Creative and is intended to fuse the world and the brand by placing the network’s signature “globe” icon with the word “Discovery” in the new design.
According to an article on Multichannel.com, the network say, “The stylized earth, contemporary color palette and fresh typography all combine to bring the mark more in line with Discovery as the international communications company it is today.”
The old logo and the new logo are pictured below. What do you think?
Truth be told, I think the position of the globe is terrible. It looks like it was just slapped on top of the “D” haphazardly as if it were a mistake.
Image Source: BrandNew
Tags: logo design, branding, brand image, brand mark, Discovery Channel, new logos
In terms of typography and overall direction I’m happy with where it went. But in my opinion I don’t believe they’ve reached their intended goal with this. I can see where they were headed but it just seems somewhat under-developed. The globe is so small in comparison to the word-mark and it almost seems secondary or an afterthought. However regardless of the points i’ve just just mentioned I still prefer the newer logo over the previous one. I would’ve like to see the creative pushed further though. Looking forward to see the brand roll-out…
I agree, Jun Woo. I think “under-developed” is a good way to describe this logo.
“The stylized earth, contemporary color palette and fresh typography all combine to bring the mark more in line with Discovery as the international communications company it is today.”
-> The stylized earth = referring to the digital era in which the company operates.
-> Contemporary color palette = blue: reliable + white: virginity, transparancy. no fear, safe, authority.
-> fresh typography : platform independent (usable on ninentendo ds, wii and cell phone). ‘disneygraphy’, cosy, can do no harm.
in other words: a safe facelift based on too many consencus. technically average. poor creative. entertaining no discovery. nothing unknown.
Looks very much the same to me. If they were trying to project something with the new logo, they lost me and I didn’t gasp in awe…
I agree with the author, the placement of the globe is what I have a problem with. It’s strong otherwise, but the “slapped on” look of the planet makes the logo look like it was done as a last minute final in a high school design class. To me it seems as if there was no thought put into the placement at all. If I’m wrong I’d love to hear the theory behind where it was placed!
I agree, Mark. I’d like to hear the theory behind the globe placement as well.
I like the globe lockup when the ‘D’ is on it’s own (I saw it watching TV). I agree that it appears small when placed with the entire word. There should be two different lock ups.
Love the typography- love the feminine leaning. No bold typography in logos!
I hope they didn’t pay Viewpoint Creative too much money for it. If their goal was to diminish the brand, however, perhaps they deserved their paycheck. I would love to know the “Raison D’etre” behind the change and perhaps that would give us all insight into the weak execution. D-
I just watched the Discovery Channel’s “Man vs. Nature” and the rotating globe over the D was very distracting. It was like watching a show with subtitles. I give the new logo and annoying globe/D a thumbs down.
I like the new logo. Not only is it more modern, but it doesn’t burn in as fast on my plasma as the old one (or maybe I just watch too much Discovery). : )
Well, at least they didn’t stick the globe in the word in place of the “o”. The typeface is an improvement sort of, the globe and its placement are not. I think they should ditch the globe entirely anyway and come up with something more relevant to the word. The globe is a cop out unless you’re actually selling globes.
This opinion kinda of late as I stumbled along this website but anyway
- the earth graphic on top of the D it a miss ( I understand that they are going for a modern look, i thin it works on the bottom side of the D but the top part fails. )
- the graphic of the earth is a miss as well.
(most viewers connect discovery with our planet but this is not a planet, it looks like a washed circular blur of something or a marble, i dunno, i think they failed on creating original art work for the earth graphic?)
- I don’t care really for the type choice (plenty of modern typefaces that would work) other than it seems to me that they are trying to say just Discovery not discovery channel because “channel” its extremely small. From my experience logos should work perfectly on screen and on print and i tell ya if I shrink that logo right now to go on a business card… well you get the point. I understand that the designers aimed to have the x-height be equal to the tail of the Y, but readability of a global identity over looks?… those designers need a spankin.