National Geographic Channel is finally dropping the word "Channel" from its name permanently and is adding a temporary tagline "Further" in a global rebranding of the yellow frame TV channel and magazine group.
The rebranding of National Geographic Channel (DStv 181 / StarSat 220) will happen on 14 November to co-incide with the roll-out of the National Geographic's global event documentary series, Mars, about colonising the red planet.
South African and African viewers of the Fox Networks Group channel will see the new on-air imaging of National Geographic introduced on 14 November with the rebrand that will affect all 171 countries where the channel is seen, as well as the magazine as the nationalgeographic.com website "as we reimagine our business for the 21st century," says Declan Moore, CEO of National Geographic Partners.
"Further" as a global tagline "allows us to cement National Geographic in the minds of consumers, whether the magazine, the channels or the society," says Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society.
"Through our unmatched support of explorers, adventurers, scientists, educators, photographers and other storytellers, we aim to build a worldwide, public community of learners".
"This rebrand marks a significant turning point in the realisation of our transformational new vision for National Geographic," says Courteney Moore, CEO of National Geographic Global Television Networks.
"The new visual design is sophisticated, contemporary and cinematic and lives up to the promise of the National Geographic brand".
The new National Geographic on-air look will include new brand animations as well as the channel's stars doing what is called "talent IDs", including Jason Silva of Brain Games and Origins, Neil deGrasse Tyson (StarTalk) and Richard Bacon (Explorer).