Discovery Network had a titanic mission ahead of them; to move one of the largest video content libraries in the world online, and build the latest platform in the streaming wars from the ground up, in a matter of a few short months. This included everything from developing all the brand assets, all the key art, and the entire graphic language of the platform. To help them take on the challenge, they enlisted the help of SCS to work hand-in-hand with their various internal teams.
DISCOVERY NETWORK —
Collaborating to Launch an Entirely New Platform in Just a Few Short Months
When you’re one of the largest producers of entertainment in the world, and you’re looking to move all that content onto the newest platform to enter the streaming wars in just a few short months… you’re going to need a lot of help. And you’re going to need it fast.
Client
Discovery Networks
Project
Discovery+ Launch Elements
Deliverables
Platform Styling, Sonic Branding, Welcome Video, Various Platform Design Deliverables, Program Key Art
THE
CHAL
LENGE
THE FIRST QUESTION… WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
The first task on the board was to develop the visual language of the platforms UX, which is no easy task. Creating a style that pulls the whole vibe together using visual assets from across myriad styles and resources is difficult at best. Working in tandem with the Discovery in house team, we explored options for everything from home page to network and genre pages before finally landing on a style and language that could be translated consistently across the board.
OKAY… NOW WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE?
While the internal Discovery team was working on developing the brand language and designs, they tapped the SCS content team to explore the Sonic Logo and language. The narrowing down to one direction out of dozens was based on a single quote from Discovery’s Rich Lacy, SVP Digital Brand Creative: “I keep thinking about the fact that I’m going to be hearing the sound we pick thousands upon thousands of times in the coming months/years, and my ear wants to hear this direction.”
And in the following extraordinarily collaborative process, we crafted and recrafted the direction to fit everything from the topline brand and the discovery+ Originals brand, to all aspects of off platform communications.
WELCOME TO DISCOVERY+
As a totally new platform, Discovery wanted viewers to be excited about what they are signing on to, and understand the full breadth of entertainment they now belonged to. After helping develop the design and sonic languages for the platform, Discovery felt we had the right understanding of the brand to help welcome new viewers into our new world. Working with yet another team within the halls of Discovery, we collaborated on a number of creative directions before finally settling on one that dovetailed seamlessly with dozens of other projects being developed in tandem to help bring the platform to life holistically.
PRIOR TO DISCOVERY+
One of the reasons Discovery knew they could count on us to help bring discovery+ to life was due to a prior project we helped them with. The equally challenging task of bringing their vast library to partner streaming services. And with speed as a priority, they tapped the SCS design team to help by handing over the design duty of creating artwork for 350 titles, in 25 unique formats for each title for a grand total of 8,750 unique deliverables… in just 9 weeks.
By tapping into our extensive network, we were able to put together an exclusive team of producers and designers focusing purely on this titanic task. Some were in house, some were freelance, some worked in the office, some worked from home. An army of creatives solely focused on getting thousands of premium quality assets completed in a handful of weeks.
