The award-winning redesign of BBC Wildlife

Client

Immediate Media, Bristol

Brief

Reposition BBC Wildlife as a premium brand across all platforms. Increase subscriptions, reduce churn and drive yield.

Approach

From the logo down to individual captions, every aspect of the brand was transformed. All was powered by a commitment to diversity and inclusion – visualising contributors, making content accessible for all, and impressing a demanding community of wildlife enthusiasts.

Outcomes

Against a backdrop of sustained decline in previous years, the redesign delivered increases across every platform. Newsstand sales up by 26% against the previous six months, subs renewals up from 79% to 86%, New subscribers up by 10%, Social traffic up 17%, and ad sales up by 40%, culminating in getting the ultra-premium Zeiss brand into the book.

Awards

Editor Paul McGuinness was nominated for PPA Specialist Editor of The Year, the brand was nominated for PPA Specialist Brand of The Year, and the new cover won the bronze medal in PPA Cover of The Year, beating out Vogue, Top Gear and a host of bigger titles.

BBC Wildlife gets world-class access
Contributor headshots were extensively used to reinforce the message of diversity and interconnectedness
A massive new front section was created
Visible human connection was increased throughout
BBC Wildlife's mission is 'We get you closer'
Development work showed off the power of integrating strong typography with epic photography
These published features were all designed by Art Editor Richard Eccleston
Practical features showed how you can get involved
The much larger staff masthead shows off the power and scope of the brand. Every contributor get a namecheck, right up to CEO Tom Bureau. The statement of photography ethics is clear and visible. Most important of all, the spread serves as a strategic brand subs ad, driving prospects to a tactical offer deeper in the book
The tactical subs ad offers value all the way
The new media pack got Zeiss to buy into the brand
PPA Bronze Award Cover of The Year, 2022, as voted for by the public
Editor Paul McGuinness proving that the new identity works everywhere
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