Branding TV and idents

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Number 127 Branding TV and idents The aims of this Factsheet are: - To identify the branding techniques used in the creative industries - To consider how brands are

products/ services. This reaction will dictate how customers discuss the company with others, and how the perception of the company spreads.

that consumer. Identity Companies use visual devices to represent the company to create an identity.

devices/ products. In addition to media products, identity systems extend to stationary, marketing power, packaging, signage or merchandising.

1 Number 127 Branding TV and idents The aims of this Factsheet are: - To identify the branding techniques used in the creative industries - To consider how brands are created across media platforms - To evaluate the role that idents play in building a definable brand in television broadcasting connotes much more than the shape and size of the graphic. When a brand logo becomes powerful enough to carry this meaning it is often described as iconic. Iconic though it may be, however, a logo is not enough to establish a coherent brand across a range of media platforms; contemporary large organisations are seeking brand identity systems. Brands are often immediately associated with their logos a visual representation that quickly communicates key brand values through colour, iconography and typography. A successful logo will stand the test of time, and will be able to transcend the various sub-genres with which it is associated. Look at these iconic logos. If each of these logos represented the brand s personality, how would you describe that personality? Brand Brand values/ personality? The relationship between the logo, identity and branding; the audience experience is reliant on all these aspects. Definitions Branding Audiences will associate a particular image, and then respond emotionally, to a company and its products/ services. This reaction will dictate how customers discuss the company with others, and how the perception of the company spreads. Seth Godin defines a brand as the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer. Identity Companies use visual devices to represent the company to create an identity. An identity system is a combination of visual devices that are combined to create a corporate image which is cohesive and consistent across a range of platforms/ devices/ products. In addition to media products, identity systems extend to stationary, marketing power, packaging, signage or merchandising. Logo The image that visually connotes the brand is called the logo. Designers will use icons/ symbols and will have a strong concept or meaning behind their logo design. Effective logos can be reproduced at any size, and are effective with or without colour. Smashing Magazine Principles of effective logo design The logos that you were just analysing carry a range of meaning they are more than a sign, they have become a signifier. A signifier is a visual sign that carries meaning, so the Nike tick or Apple s apple g+a+brand+identity 1

Some examples include: Adapted from https://creativemarket.

research is the most important part of the whole process, and should enable a design brief/ treatment to be created. This guides the rest of the project.

2 The Identity System Gerren Lamson, Creative Marketing defines the process of building a brand identity as involving 3 distinct phases. An adaptation of this informative blog is listed below. The identity system is normally established after the logo design is completed. The intention with the identity system is to create a consistent visual style and language from the logo. It will complement the logo design, and link with it in some way. Identity systems enable brands to expand and create a family of products that will help to develop the awareness of the brand, log and product. Some examples include: Adapted from Phase 1: Research, Vision & Design Brief Market analysis & consumer research Vision, goals & brand personality Logo & idenity design brief The initial research is the most important part of the whole process, and should enable a design brief/ treatment to be created. This guides the rest of the project. These key questions should be explored and documented using both quantitative and qualitative methods of research: How is the brand perceived against competitors in the market for products and services you re looking to provide? What is the positioning statement of your brand? Answer the what, how, to whom, where, why and when questions. What is the heritage of your product type, and the origin(s) of its creation? Who is your audience? Are they digitally savvy? Where will your products/services have contact with them? How do you want that contact experience to make them feel, take action and think about your brand? What values & beliefs should the brand have about the business and its mission in the world? If the brand was a person, what would its personality be? How would it look, act and talk? What benefits do you want customers to associate with your brand? What is the vision of the brand that you want to create? The iconic roundel designed by Frank Pick is used across a range of products to create an identity system which is instantly recognisable. bbcinternet/2010/02/a_new_global_ visual_language_f.html BBC-Performing-Groups Other brand image concerns: market awareness, emotional associations, value to the consumer, brand perception vs. consumer behaviour, changes desired in the brand-consumer relationship over time. Phase 2: Logo, Identity, & Guidelines Logo concept & design Identity system & resources Brand & style guidelines The BBC uses a clear identity system across their emedia platforms to ensure their brand values are clearly communicated. The Logo Most often designers begin by sketching out dozens if not hundreds of iterations on paper. The process of getting concepts down on paper and then iterating on those ideas can unlock new directions to explore and final solutions that you wouldn t have normally arrived at when starting on the computer. After selecting your best sketched concepts, you should start iterating on them digitally. Here s a few logo concept sketches as they became final digital solutions The Style Guidelines The style guidelines set out the rules on using a particular logo, typeface system, colour palette, layout guidelines, and other graphical aspects to a brand identity. They exist so that marketing materials can be created with a cohesive visual appearance. Style guidelines are key to the identity design, and usually accompany the logo, templates, fonts and other resources packaged together to make designing for the brand easier. Style guidelines enable brands to promote their products across a wider range of platforms whilst still maintaining control. Coursework Hint As part of your coursework, you may be expected to create a definable brand. You should ensure that you have a strong concept behind your logo, and that you are clear what your brand identity is otherwise if you don t know, how will your audience know?! medium=link&utm_campaign=designing+a+brand+identity 2

3 Phase 3: Monitoring & Rebranding There is a vast financial investment behind the launch of a new brand, so it is important that post-launch the brand is carefully monitored. Media creatives see a brand as a living and breathing thing that interacts with [the] customers so it is important to adjust your branding should target audience change, the market evolve or the services offered by the brand change. The challenge when rebranding is to evolve to show change and progression, but also to maintain familiarity. Cancer Research UK rebranded in 2012 to reflect their global brand identity. TV Idents and Brand Identity TV idents is a short visual representation of a channel. These idents are played between programmes and before and after advert breaks. The aim of the ident is to visually represent the channel s brand identity, just as a graphical logo would. Idents are created in suites, and will follow a coherent style or visual concept in order to build familiarity and brand awareness with the viewer. Idents are a key aspect in identifying institutional values. Exam Hint:- You may be asked to consider how a text explores or reflects the institutional values. Be aware of the values of a range of media institutions, and make sure you are familiar with a range of idents and logos. This will enable you to consider the institution from a range of perspectives. The BBC Ident The BBC, established in 1922, did not establish a formal brand image until As the BBC was only broadcaster in the UK, there had been no need for a recognisable brand identity. The corporation had established a logo, which is still in situ as the floor mosaic in the Old Broadcasting House, London, as well as a motif on the doors and some of the building s panelling. The first BBC logo uses the initials of the corporation, and is typical of the Art Deco style of Old Broadcasting House, London. As the BBC had no competitors in television at the time, there was little need for a brand identity for the corporation. However, in 1953 Abram Games was commissioned to design an on-air image. Games, who had previously designed the logo for the 1951 Festival of Britain, opted for a bat-wing style image that reflected contemporary design. This design attempted to reflect the modernity of the BBC as an organisation, and was created using a 3D model. Abram Games contemporary offering a mechanical model that captured the spirit of the era. In fact until 1953 fewer than 800,000 people had television licenses; it was the televised coronation of the Queen Elizabeth II that kick-started the popularity of television, with television licenses increasing to 3.2 million by Television was seen as an exciting technological development, however broadcasting was limited to a few hours a day, and there were no breaks or commercial advertisements; commercial television was not established until By the 1960s, the BBC logo that we recognise today had been formed. Here we see the power of a brand image and the power of an ident for a broadcaster. The iconic BBC tile logo has appeared across the institution for over 50 years, and is instantly recognisable visual representation of the BBC s brand. 3

Look at the visual timeline of different BBC logos and idents below.

through the use of signifiers, iconography and other visual devices.

1963 The iconic globe appeared in its first version on 30 September 1963. This ident featured a spinning globe.

1964 The new channel BBC 2 is launched with a big publicity campaign.

1967 Colour television arrives, and the BBC responds with the creation of a new ident that uses a deep blue colour.

branding ever since. 1980s The futuristic fashions and trends of the 80s were reflected in the BBC idents.

1986 As the two BBC channels grew, Alan Jeapes gave BBC 2 a visual makeover, and the word TWO was used instead of

1997 The globe features again in the 97 ident, but instead is represented by a hot air balloon.

The new font was Gill Sans, a font designed by Eric Gill who was a key sculptor for the original Broadcasting

Here the audience were offered a range of visually engaging idents that followed a them of colour and provided

4 Look at the visual timeline of different BBC logos and idents below. Taking a structuralist approach (see Factsheet 90 if you need to revise this), consider the meaning created through the use of signifiers, iconography and other visual devices. Remember the BBC core values are to educate, inform and entertain. How is this meaning communicated? 1963 The iconic globe appeared in its first version on 30 September This ident featured a spinning globe. The continuity announcer spoke the words This is BBC Television. A BBC TV caption would then appear The new channel BBC 2 is launched with a big publicity campaign. The ident visually links to the existing BBC1 ident, and a brand is beginning to form Colour television arrives, and the BBC responds with the creation of a new ident that uses a deep blue colour. This electronic model featured the mirror globe this is a graphic which has remained a key signifier of the BBC branding ever since. 1980s The futuristic fashions and trends of the 80s were reflected in the BBC idents. These idents were the first move away from electronic models, and used animation to create the moving ident As the two BBC channels grew, Alan Jeapes gave BBC 2 a visual makeover, and the word TWO was used instead of the digit. Again, the ident was animated, and reflected the 80s trends The BBC is facing stronger competition from commercialised television, and a stronger, more unified brand image was needed. This image was to appear across all the BBC s commericalised products The globe features again in the 97 ident, but instead is represented by a hot air balloon. The balloon was filmed in various locations in the UK (59 different locales were featured over its 2 years use) and was designed to develop the brand of the BBC further. Late 90s The coporate image was revised and modernised. The graphic was now monochrome and the slant was removed. The new font was Gill Sans, a font designed by Eric Gill who was a key sculptor for the original Broadcasting House project (1932). Following this revision, the radio logos were redesigned to fit the suite and unify the whole brand image. 2000s The red balloon was replaced by a series of idents called Rhythm and Movement. Here the audience were offered a range of visually engaging idents that followed a them of colour and provided wider diversity in representation of ethnicity, disability and cultures The Rhythm and Movement idents are replaced by a circular motif. The BBC Controller at the time, Peter Fincham, saw the new idents circular motif as representing both the BBC s brand history, but also of communities and people coming together. The circular motif is still in use, and is interpreted in a range of different ways (from swimming hippos, circuling parafoil kites, and even a circular moonscape). 4

theidentgallery.com for a wide range of current idents. Institution Values Ident Meaning Sky Movies (BSkyB) Channel 4 foster the new and experimental in television.

Brother) Acknowledgements: This Factsheet was researched and written by Katrina Calvert Curriculum Press. Bank House, 105 King Street, Wellington, TF1 1NU.

5 Look at the current idents used by the major television companies/ channels. Consider how the different brand values are connoted through the use of signifiers, iconography and other visual devices. Remember the ident is designed to instantly chime with their intended audience, and reveal the institutional values. How is this intended meaning communicated to the audience? Use the for a wide range of current idents. Institution Values Ident Meaning Sky Movies (BSkyB) Channel 4 foster the new and experimental in television. It will encourage pluralism, provide a favoured place for the untried and encourage innovation in style content perspective and talent on and off screen ITV2 FIVE (during screening of Celebrity Big Brother) Acknowledgements: This Factsheet was researched and written by Katrina Calvert Curriculum Press. Bank House, 105 King Street, Wellington, TF1 1NU. Media Factsheets may be copied free of charge by teaching staff or students, provided that their school is a registered subscriber. No part of these Factsheets may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any other form or by any other means, without the prior permission of the publisher. ISSN

Brand Identity. Students will develop brand Identity materials for a company.

Brand Identity. Students will develop brand Identity materials for a company. Brand Identity Students will develop brand Identity materials for a company. One Required material will be a business Logo. Students will develop a booklet that incudes the following: 1. Logo Specifics