The Inside Scoop On Comedy Central’s 2011 New Look

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Okay internet, you can put your pitchforks down. Since Comedy Central’s JUST released a glimpse at Comedy Central’s official unveiling yesterday in New York City, a cloud of brand enthusiasts (notably wearing Gap and drinking out of Tropicana cartons) has emerged. I’d suggest you save your final creative judgments for the full on-air creative package which launches in the beginning of 2011.

Comedy Central Logo (Old/New)

Part of the first major rebranding effort by Comedy Central in 10 years, much respected Comedy Central SVP Brand Creative Bob Salazar adds, “If you think of social media, videogames, and the conventional competition, it has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Even though the brand has never been as strong, we felt that refreshing it in our promotion and our branding, was something that we felt this moment in the network’s history would be the perfect time for.”

Gone is the iconic skyscraper globe icon, replaced with a newly redesigned mark at the heart of the logo. Primarily comprised of a stark two letter Cs, one inverted, with the “Central” part of the channel’s name spelled out upside-down, the new logo is minimalist and austere, representing “the irreverent wink” of the channel.

Salazar (previously heading brand image at male focused Spike, and women’s network Lifetime) adds ,”It is more than a logo, it is everything you know about Comedy Central but in this more modern proposition.”

Comedy Central gathered pitches from seven design companies with The Lab winning the high profile assignment. Though the refresh officially launches at the beginning of 2011, Comedy Central tells me that folks in the US are able to preview a bit of the new direction here, in a montage titled “Comedy Central: Refreshed and Rededicated”.

Unfortunately for myself and other Londoners (and everyone else outside the States), you’ll just have to keep reading the blog or like us on Facebook for more updates. Or you can read a take from a CC logo parody Twitter account which is already up and running.

You know you’ve made it when people are parodying you so quickly. Congrats Comedy Central! /wink wink. Tell me what you think of the new direction in the comments below.

(Follow @dennytu on Twitter)

Comedy Central Explores Rebrand

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A quick hit for you this morning and fresh off the presses, here’s a look at Royale’s exploration of the much loved Comedy Central brand. You’ll notice a shift away from the channel’s previous “urban feel” towards well… a bare buttocked monkey finding his coveted banana in the newly minted Comedy Central logo. Alright then.

*Clarifying that this is indeed a rebrand exploration, not necessarily what you will see on-air. Enjoy.

Modernista! Laughs It Up for Comedy Central

Modernista! grabbed a whole lot of attention last year for their unique social web presence. Well that and doing the unthinkable…  suing a client for $500k for alledgedly not paying for work? You go Modernista! With 2008 behind them, the shop, known for ground breaking work for the likes of Cadillac and GAP have set their creative eyes on Comedy Central.

Modernista! Amsterdam led by CD/Director Nate Taylor have delivered a rather bubbly :60 spot for Comedy Central Netherlands. DP Chris McPherson captures the essence of a good laugh for this light hearted take on the global comedy brand. Post Production was handled by Arcade/Airshop.

Comedy Central (UK) Launch [UPDATED]

*Update 2: A glimpse at the new campaign. Extra thanks to Matt.

*Update 1: For those Comedy Central watchers that just can’t wait, a few bits about the new idents. One spot has a giant Comedy Central logo crashing down into a tightly packed alleyway causing an orchestra of car alarms to go off. Another has the logo atop an evening skyline causing a drain on the local power grid. The new stings are particularly refreshing.

A seven-figure sum is being spent on the rebrand of Paramount Comedy to Comedy Central, sources say. Jill Offman, Comedy Central MD explains, “Karamarama’s creative executions perfectly convey that we are the only modern comedy channel in the UK. We love our new look and the whole Comedy Central team looks forward to taking the channel to new levels of success over the coming year.”

First Look: Comedy Central UK Rebrand

In a follow-up to my earlier post on the rebrand of Paramount Comedy (UK) to Comedy Central, here’s a first look at some new creative before Monday’s launch of the campaign. Karmarama’s joint-venture production arm, Kream, produced a series of nine channel idents which feature the new logo for Comedy Central causing disruption at various locations in the UK, including Tower Bridge and the Gherkin building.

Comedy Central Rebrand details emerge

Viacom has selected London-based design agency Karmarama to oversee the creation of a fresh brand identity and to provide ongoing marketing support for the rebranding of Paramount Comedy to Comedy Central. The channel, aimed at 16- to 34-year-olds, relaunches on April 6. Karmarama is working with the in-house team to create channel idents, which will be filmed across the UK at key landmarks, and to launch the off-air campaign. Comedy Central launched in 1991 in the US.

Paramount Comedy to rebrand as Comedy Central in April

Paramount Comedy will rebrand as Comedy Central in the UK on April 6, 2009 at 21:00 with a fresh new slate of programming.

Much of the network schedule will be filled by  shows broadcast at the same time as their US premieres. Among the new shows are a sitcom from stand-up star Jim Jeffries and and a pilot of Grumpy Young Men narrated by Peep Show’s Robert Webb. A third of the channel’s output would be original shows, mainly produced by UK indies. As part of the marketing facelift, Paramount Comedy Two will be renamed Comedy Central Extra and feature programs such as Sex and the City, Rules of Engagement, Everybody Hates Chris and The Office.