• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, March 19, 2012

The National Geographic Channels has awarded its U.S. media account to Mediahub, the media planning and buying unit of ad shop Mullen, after a review. Mullen is part of the Interpublic Group.

The incumbent was Allscope Media, New York.

The client, a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Channels, spends an estimated $40 million on ads annually, per sources. 

The scope of work includes media planning and buying across all traditional and digital media platforms. The assignment is effective later this spring.

Commenting on the award, Courtney Monroe, CMO for National Geographic Channels U.S., cited the agency's "energy, creativity and keen understanding of what we want to do to take our networks to the next level" as reasons for selection. Monroe joined the Nat Geo Channels late last year from HBO, where she was executive vice president, consumer marketing and digital platforms. 

National Geographic Channel’s new programming slate includes the recently announced "Killing Lincoln" from producers Tony Scott and Ridley Scott, and the new series "Are You Tougher than a Boy Scout" from Thom Beers' Original Productions.

The agency review was led by the client’s marketing team with assistance from agency search consultancy Select Resources International.

The first National Geographic Channel was launched in 2001. Channels launched since then include NGC HD, Nat Geo Wild and Spanish-language channel Nat Geo Mundo. The channels have carriage with all of the nation’s major cable, telco and satellite television providers, and globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 173 countries.