2009 brought us a creative torrent of beautifully executed and masterfully architected channel branding campaigns. From our coverage of NBC’s “More Colorful Campaign” and UKTV’s overhaul of its 10 channel portfolio to talked about campaigns from SyFy, Discovery, and MTV, as an industry we responded to a challenging global economy crisis with creative grit and bullish business determination.
And as one of the few (if only) blogs dedicated purely to international TV & screen based branding, we look forward to continuing to bring you news in 2010 from the branding frontline, including (of course) the business perspectives behind them. We ask that you continue your invaluable feedback and contribution to the dialogue. Lastly, (after much encouragement) we are now finally on Facebook. If you like this blog, please support us by joining Art & Business of Motion on Facebook. You can of course still follow us on Twitter.
So as we say a last goodbye to 2009, here’s a conveniently indexed list of 40 memorable channel branding campaigns we covered for you from 2009. To all the folks that help make this happen, a huge thank you! – Denny
Happy Thanksgiving Eve everyone. As some of you know, I went to UCLA (oh those long years ago) to pursue a career in clinical psychology, and got my first job out of university doing social work for the state of California. (I’ll save the how I got into branding/advertising industry for another day.)
Times (and the economy) were very different. Fast forward to today; we have some really talented students finishing up their degrees and looking for a place to spread their creative wings.
I receive a lot of emails from students and those that have recently graduated. “What is the best way to get an internship?”, “How do I get my portfolio seen & noticed?”, “How do I find the right agency to work for?” Until now, I’ve not really had many ways to redirect talent.
After some advice and discussion with a few trusted colleagues, I’ve decided to host a student portfolio gallery as a regular feature to the blog. The goal is provide young creative talent an opportunity to get noticed by decision makers in our industry, which include our regular readership of creative executives from top design agencies and television networks.
ITV has launched an ambitious new brand campaign tagged “The Brighter Side”. The commercial spots, which launched last week through television, cinema, and online channels got an audience of an opportunity through it’s premiere on “Britain’s Got Talent” (go Susan Boyle, go!). According to ITV, the channel is “the most entertaining, upbeat, optimistic programming in the UK”.
The brand spot from Agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty aims to promote ITV as a destination for optimism, shared experience and entertainment. Director Rupert Sanders, who won this year’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix for his Xbox Halo 3 commercial, created a scene in which we find children exploring a dull, boring Britain until they pierce the clouds above by throwing stones, letting out ray after ray of sunshine. Post production was done by The Mill.
The big budget commercial aims to differentiate ITV1 from its competitors and remind viewers that ITV is one of the UK’s most loved brands. By attempting to produce a bold, filmic, long-length television advert (the 90 second film also exists as a cut-down 60-second and a longer two minute twenty-second version) ITV is trying to showcase how powerful the medium of television remains and why brands should use television to communicate their messages.
Last month, media & brand strategy consultant Martin Poole and I sat down for a couple hours in London to share a drink (or two) and discuss the state of the European and US broadcast design markets. We spoke on a range of topics including challenges facing broadcasters and agencies alike, as well as the incredible opportunities afforded by the changing marketplace. If you’re interested in the European Television Branding landscape, you should checkout his recently published M21 report titled “Design of the Times”. It features:
an overview of 2009 European broadcast design market
a look at how broadcasters across Europe are trying to differentiate their channels and brands
a catchup with some leading UK creative shops including Red Bee, Bruce Dunlop, Addiction, Beautiful TV, and Kemistry
a few thoughts from yours truly
The overview/first page of the article is presented here for a quick read. Click here to download the .pdf to view the entire article including the European brand case studies.
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Design of the Times
By Martin Poole
No review of the European broadcast design market can ignore the current financial inconvenience that most broadcasters find themselves in, but this year’s crop of featured projects shows no lessening in creativity and ingenuity, even if budgets are lower and timescales shorter.
Everyone seems to agree that there’s something about constricted budgets and difficult circumstances that helps great ideas to come to the fore, whether it be using skill photography to illustrate the wonders of high definition or developing long-lasting storylines by creating your own characters and letting them develop lives of their own with the viewers.
The other thing that seems to be happening in this recession is that it’s forcing people to collaborate more. When budgets are tight, ideas are at a premium and everyone from creative director to ad agency to design agency to promo outfit is more than willing to explore other ways of working in order to get the best results. There’s a real sense that the creative community on both sides of the client/agency fence is pulling together to make sure we all get through this in one piece.
One area that everyone is focused on is customer service – when you know your client has only a little work to give out you want to be first on their list every time and agencies are trying to be much more attentive and ready to respond whenever they get the call. Despite that, most European agencies still have a lot to learn about how to present themselves, according to Denny Tu, an exec producer from LA who splits his time between Europe and the US. “Agencies are working harder to stand out but rarely do an effective job of communicating value differentiation above and beyond the creative reel,” he believes. While he is no doubt that the UK market in particular is one of the most creative in the world, if the agencies there want to grow they need to pay more attention to proving their value and worth than they do at the present. (click keep reading below for more)
A hilarious must see: sharp witted (and award winning Australian film & television critic) Marc Fennell does it again. Marc sent me a message yesterday regarding ‘#zombie looting’. Unfortunately, I don’t have all my Tweet-speak down yet.
What I do know is that audiences are equipped with greater awareness of our work in screen branding. They are connected to the mass media dialogue like never before. And since consumers now interact with content and programming through intersecting media portals, they’re quite likely to tweet and blog their true feelings towards our entertainment brands (and how we package them) into the digital hemisphere. The real question? Will those of us in the branding business hear their call?
There’s never been a greater opportunity to listen, speak, and interact directly with our evolving (and lean forward) audience.
In the span of just 6 minutes, Mark manages to channel some collective Aussie angst, while simultaneously being able to talk about Channel Nine’s Balls and the (beloved) BBC Three “Blobs” engaged in some alleged dubious behavior.
If you manage to get through the video without smirking, smiling (/crying), grinning, or outright chuckling, please immediately run out and get yourself some Pinkberry. Make that a large with blueberry, raspberry, and kiwi.
You, my friend, have yoda-like self control.
Do you have an opinion on this issue? Go ahead! Post your (g-rated) thoughts below and share your comments on the current state of television branding and continuity. We’re listening…
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And as a (uber important) friendly reminder, If you’re a fan of the blog, you must:
ESPN has launched ESPN America in the UK, Europe, and the Middle East. The channel is positioned as an “authentic American sports channel” aimed at American expats and fans of American sports across Europe. Here’s a pretty exclusive look at the new rebrand:
An update and more visuals on the MTV Australia “Organic” campaign via Sydney based creative production studio Umeric.
Led by network CD Cristian Jofre and Director Ash Bolland, the campaign was shot in a wide range of MTV audience identifiable locations throughout Australia. Music by Simon Pyke / Freefarm (who also handled the recent Five USA rebrand). I’m told that the campaign was so well received that it’s been screened in HD with other brand extensions possibly already in the works.
MTV initially commissioned the creative shop to develop a series of 12 channel idents (with associated print campaign) for the Australian wing of the powerhouse brand.
Four abstract design concepts where developed to reinterpret the MTV logo based around the themes “Aggressive”, “Calm”, “Lively” and “Organic”.
As a sidenote, I DID have incredible calamari last night. (fresh horseradish should always be dolloped in cocktail dipping sauce, no?) Glad I didn’t re-watch these before dinner. Here’s one of the IDs in higher resolution Quicktime.
UKTV Style and UKTV Gardens will be relaunched as “Home” and “Really” respectively as UKTV continues it’s ambitious brand overhaul of its channel portfolio. No details have yet been officially announced regarding UKTV Food.
Update 19 May (2): It should be noted that the gardening content which it previously aired when it was called UKTV Gardens, has now been absorbed by sister channel Home, previously named UKTV Style.
Home will target 35-54 year old viewers with inspirational home and gardens programming. Shows will include DIY SOS, Escape to the Country, Groundforce and the flagship Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. It is designed to show viewers “how to enjoy and maximise their space, both inside and out” and will have the tag line: “Home – there’s no place like it”. The website will be http://www.lovehome.co.uk
Really is providing honest insight into people’s lives, offering “feisty, straight-talking and good natured programming targeted to female-skewing channel targeting 18 to 35 year olds.” Jane Mote, UKTV Director of factual, lifestyle and new media, explains that the positioning will be “zeitgeisty and noisy female brand”. From Baby Borrowers, Extraordinary Breastfeeding and The Rachel Zoe Project to Freaky Eaters and Say No To The Knife, Really might raise a few eyebrows, but it’ll definitely get you talking.
Today, the past has become present: UKTV History channel has rebranded as Yesterday, culminating in the last of UKTV’s factual channels to be renamed and rebranded. Yesterday targets upmarket 30 plus couples, placing serious history in the form of Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain and Auschwitz in the same schedule as The Alan Clark Diaries, House of Cards and Antiques Roadshow.
In other big UKTV news, the whole company got into spirit and dressed up in 80’s gear to celebrate the launch of the channel. I’ve managed to get my hands on some photographic evidence. Extra thanks to my super-secret inside source! Don’t they look cute? I’m digging the pink. (btw, what’s Hugh Jackman doing working at UKTV?)
Click for Full 80's Effect
**Updated**
2:05pm Added more pictures
12:36 Added Idents:Wright Brothers, Suffragettes, and Debutantes
09:18 Added Ident: Hoodies
09:15 Added Ident: War
09:05 Added Ident: Football
Yesterday’s Channel Head, Richard Kingsbury, adds, “Alongside classic history content which continues to be hugely popular there will be a new emphasis on living history. Our programming will cover everything from world changing events to fondly remembered moments of popular culture. The whole point of Yesterday is to make history feel more immediate and more personal.”
The new channel proposition and name was developed in-house at UKTV following a process that first began by identifying the channel’s target audiences before devising a positioning and creating the content offering. The pay TV broadcaster’s marketing team worked closely with Red Bee to develop Yesterday’s on-screen identity, which includes 15 different variations on its logo and will be unveiled shortly.
Yesterday Ident: Hoodies
Matthew Littleford, UKTV’s controller, explains: “We realized that because we had strong content we needed to have kick-ass brands that would stand out,” he says, stressing the importance of UKTV’s access to BBC programming.” The figures are impressive: six months of research, 32 focus groups, consultation with 120 staff members and 3,500 online respondents, £250,000 spent. Littleford adds, “All of the research about History was that people who came to watch it would be interested in 20th-century history and war. The history channel isn’t just about that,” he says. “We wanted a brand that stretched wider.”
Yesterday Ident: Wright Brothers
Yesterday Ident: Suffragettes
Yesterday Ident: Debutantes
Check back soon for more updates from today’s launch.
So when I got an email this morning from UKTV Brand and Marketing maven Sara Holt, I saw the words “I am loving your blog”. I scrolled down my Blackberry in hopes of finding something delicious, and so I did. First, if you’re a fan of Ted Baker or the Blighty Campaign, I’d recommend you check out Ted’s Blog, where you’ll find the rest of the Blighty idents:
Yesterday fans are in luck as Sara has provided a promo launch spot as an exclusive first look in anticipation of the March 2nd launch of the channel. Here’s the spot in WMV as well as:
Enjoy! Check back later today and through the weekend for the latest news on the launch idents.
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Art & Business of Motion 
TV Brand Identity: Balls, Blobs, and Spandex Clad Men
A hilarious must see: sharp witted (and award winning Australian film & television critic) Marc Fennell does it again. Marc sent me a message yesterday regarding ‘#zombie looting’. Unfortunately, I don’t have all my Tweet-speak down yet.
What I do know is that audiences are equipped with greater awareness of our work in screen branding. They are connected to the mass media dialogue like never before. And since consumers now interact with content and programming through intersecting media portals, they’re quite likely to tweet and blog their true feelings towards our entertainment brands (and how we package them) into the digital hemisphere. The real question? Will those of us in the branding business hear their call?
There’s never been a greater opportunity to listen, speak, and interact directly with our evolving (and lean forward) audience.
In the span of just 6 minutes, Mark manages to channel some collective Aussie angst, while simultaneously being able to talk about Channel Nine’s Balls and the (beloved) BBC Three “Blobs” engaged in some alleged dubious behavior.
If you manage to get through the video without smirking, smiling (/crying), grinning, or outright chuckling, please immediately run out and get yourself some Pinkberry. Make that a large with blueberry, raspberry, and kiwi.
You, my friend, have yoda-like self control.
Do you have an opinion on this issue? Go ahead! Post your (g-rated) thoughts below and share your comments on the current state of television branding and continuity. We’re listening…
–
And as a (uber important) friendly reminder, If you’re a fan of the blog, you must:
a) Follow me on Twitter, by clicking here
and…
b) If you’re on Technorati, please click here to add me to your favorites.
If you do so, the Kogi BBQ Truck is guaranteed to stop right in front of your house tomorrow night. So worth it.
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Filed under branding, channel identity, ident, opinion
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