NEWS: Dorlands picks up Discovery Channel business

The Discovery Channel Europe has chosen Bates Dorland to help the

educational satellite TV station appeal to a wider audience as a source

of entertainment rather than just information.

Graham Hinton, the chairman of Dorlands, confirmed the win, and

explained that the challenge would be to put right many misconceptions

about Discovery, which runs a mix of documentaries and other information

programmes, ranging from science to history.

‘Our view is that there are people out there who are particularly

interested in information, but who think the channel might be too

worthy. It is a misconception we have to put right,’ he said.

Media on the pounds 1.5 million account has not yet been decided,

although discussions are still being held with Dorlands’ usual media

partners, Zenith Media and Equinox Communications, and with the

incumbent, John Ayling and Associates.

Chris Turner, the marketing director of Discovery, said the brief only

currently covered Discovery, but might expand to cover its sister

station, the Learning Channel.

Turner added that he had overcome his antipathy to large agencies

because Dorlands did not seem to have layers of bureaucracy, and had

presented a ‘compelling’ strategy and ‘wonderful’ creative work.

Dorlands presented against the creative incumbent, Harari Page, plus

Duckworth Finn Grubb Waters and Butterfield Day Devito Hockney for the

business.

Discovery claims to be the third-largest media brand globally, but has

failed to mirror this in the fast-expanding cable and satellite market.

Dorlands’ brief is to extend the station’s penetration.

This article was first published on Campaign