Discovery recently turned to longtime collaborator L.A.-based agency Radley Studios for a complete rebrand of the network. The agency handled all design, animation, sound and production for seven on-air 3D packages totaling more than 400 deliverables. The package features vibrant graphic explosions centered upon an ever-changing globe careening through snakes, sharks, ice, flames and hails of bullets.
“Our goal with this rebrand was to pursue ideas that were explosive,” said Radley executive creative director Kurt Spenser. “Iconic brands like Discovery have been successful for so long that they have become a gathering force. The challenge is to throw gasoline on that campfire, not just move the existing warm glow to another campsite. If the concept doesn’t scare and excite you immediately, you keep going until you spark those feelings – that was the creative philosophy at the heart of Radley and Discovery’s work.”
“Radley brought incredible freshness, energy and the overall creative drive we were searching for in the Discovery Rebrand 2013,” said Discovery SVP of marketing Lara Richardson.
The packages, designed with a combination of Cinema 4D, Adobe Creative Suite and edited in Final Cut Pro, are visually complex and yet easy to use. “During the design process, we had to work very hard to create a system that leveraged complex 3D work in a package that any producer or editor could intuitively use with minimal render times on the back end,” explained Radley creative director, design Antonio Cicarelli. “The client had no trouble implementing the packages and was very happy with not only the look but also the ease of use.”
With campaigns for Discovery favorites Deadliest Catch, American Chopper and Gold Rush to its credit, Radley was already familiar with the network’s brand, programming and audience. This deep understanding resonated with Discovery during the project’s pitch process, which the network opened to many competing agencies. “We live and love this brand,” said Spenser. “With Discovery’s endorsement we were able to trust our gut and create without fear.”
Radley collaborated closely with Discovery’s internal creative team from the outset, working off of the network’s brief. After much collaboration, the company finalized the on-air packages while Discovery’s team took the lead on the print, Web and merchandising elements, all working off the same core design package including logo, color, font and genre toolkits.
“The final creative was a hybrid of a great concept from the internal agency and the visual attitude from our pitch materials,” said Spenser. “The internal team was incredibly collaborative and entrusted us with the execution of some of their most cherished ideas.”
