Columbia Sportswear, Discovery Strike Branding Deal

Outdoor-apparel company Columbia Sportswear and Discovery Channel struck a branding deal that will include placement of Columbia apparel in two Discovery shows, a media buy on the network and an online-advertising component.

At the heart of the deal will be the use of Columbia products on Survivorman, about to enter its third season, as well as on a new program, Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein, which premieres Aug. 18.

Columbia said Discovery’s audience and brand made the partnership a natural choice.

“Discovery Channel programming complements our positioning as an outdoor brand and provides on-air exposure that highlights the benefits of our products,” Columbia president and CEO Tim Boyle said in a statement. “What’s more, Discovery Channel delivers a high index of active, outdoor-minded adults -- a perfect match for the Columbia brand.”