New look for Animal Planet

New logo

The new Animal Planet will highlight gripping and exciting stories designed to appeal to an adult audience seeking compelling entertainment.

“We are transforming the look, feel and storytelling of Animal Planet in order to deepen our relationship with audiences, affiliates and advertisers alike and target more adult viewership,” said Phillip Luff, SVP and GM, Animal Planet International.

“The new Animal Planet is full of exciting, instinctual stories that will bring out the raw, visceral emotion in the natural world and lead viewers to see animals as characters, not merely creatures. Animal Planet is a place where animals rule and viewers are captive.”

Variety of new programming

In addition to a new logo and on-air graphics package, the new Animal Planet will offer viewers a variety of new programming including the immersive nature films for which the network is renowned as well as quality docu-soaps, docu-dramas and ground-breaking CGI that brings to life the diversity of the animal kingdom.

The Animal Planet spring/summer 2008 slate includes many programmes that have local content for South Africa: Shamwari: A Wild Life, Escape to Chimp Eden, In Too Deep or Animal Cops South Africa. Other new shows include Max's Big Tracks, Pandamonium, Animal Park: Wild on the West Coast, Groomer Has It, Planet Earth, and Wildlife SOS.

The new slate will tap into the primal instincts that drive us all - maternal, survival, social, killer and sexual - with fascinating stories that resonate with what it means to be human. Ranging from raw, emotional and passionate to fun and humorous, the new content will explore close-up encounters with wildlife, follow heroic crusaders as they go into battle to protect the animal kingdom and highlight the joy of sharing life with devoted animal companions.

South African

South African viewers might particular enjoy these shows:

Animal Cops South Africa: From the award-winning producers of Animal Cops and Animal Precinct, we follow the outstanding work of the Animal Cruelty Inspectors at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in Cape Town, South Africa.

Escape to Chimp Eden: In the heart of South Africa is a sanctuary for chimpanzees, rescued from the horrors of human captivity. Escape to Chimp Eden, portrays the ongoing drama as these chimps transition from life as prisoners to freedom with other chimps.

Shamwari - A Wildlife: This series gives viewers the chance to live their safari dream, as our cameras follow the amazing work of a very special group of people who call the Shamwari game reserve in South Africa, both work and home. Their office is 200 square kilometres of pristine wilderness, teeming with the world's most incredible animals.

Development and rollout

Lester Mordue, creative director, Animal Planet International, oversaw the development and international rollout of the new identity in partnership with Animal Planet in the US, which launched the new look earlier this year.

“The new creative package is much more than just a fresh look; it's a revolution,” said Mordue. “After conducting extensive audience and trade research, we knew we had a unique ability to connect on an emotional level with our audience and the new logo, developed by London-based Dunning Eley Jones, enabled us to explore a more revolutionary direction.”

Other components of the new look were created by London-based Duke (on-air and off-air toolkits), Lipsync (on-air teaser campaign) and Milton Mordue (channel idents and bumpers).

First launched outside of the US in Europe in 1997, Animal Planet is a joint venture between Discovery Communications and BBC Worldwide in all international regions except the UK and Italy