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Long gone are the days of A&E being a fly-over channel, with its snoozing biographies and re-runs of Murder, She Wrote. Now, perhaps at the other extreme, it broadcasts fare like Gene Simmons Family Jewels and Dog the Bounty Hunter. While neither incarnation of A&E has ever been my cup of tea, the transformation of the channel has been quite remarkable, and to punctuate the evolution, the channel has recently updated its 12-year-old logo. The old logo had an interesting execution to it, with the “E” being angled to match the “A” and knocking out the “&” from the übertight kerning that, even if not perfect, yielded a nice counterspace with the “E.” The new logo is much more purposeful in the integration of the “&” creating a unit out of the three letters. I like the all sans serif approach better — as the old serif “&” did make the logo feel more academic or historical — and the blending of the “&” and “E” is very well resolved. I am not convinced by the “bridge” extended between the “A” and “E”, but I’m willing to be convinced that that was the best option to resolve the white space left between the two letters. On screen, the new logo looks great, and the few broadcast graphics and animations that I have seen are smooth and fresh — I also spent some time watching the Gene Simmons show and, unfortunately, it convinced me to keep flying over A&E. A refreshingly simple press release can be read here.
Jump to Most Recent Comment
Chad K’s comment is:
NI&CE
On Jun.04.2008 at 09:34 AM
karen’s comment is:
i just saw this new logo as i was leaving for work this morning... the commercial for A&E actually made me pause before i turned off the TV (granted, i'll pause for anything featuring the 2 corey's). but, all in all, i think this is a great solution... clean, fresh, updated.
On Jun.04.2008 at 09:49 AM
dan’s comment is:
i love this update. negative space mastered.
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:01 AM
Doug Bartow’s comment is:
I'm a bit troubled by the lack of the leg on the 'A.' The terminal of the ampersand where it meets the negative space in the 'E' is less elegant than the predecessor, imo. But, there are some beautiful shapes in there as well. Groundbreaking in this space? Not really, but an improvement.
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:07 AM
Caryn’s comment is:
I really like the new logo. It feels so much more cohesive. I never really liked the style of the ampersand in the old logo. This new one is very fresh and nicely updated.
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:15 AM
ScottS’s comment is:
I like the color palette, it's sophisticated and classy. I also like the choice of going sans serif, the clean and simple lines are much easier on the eyes. The weight of the letters are strong and solid. Really my only criticism here is the missing leg of the A and the bottom bar of the E being cut off by the ampersand. I think I can get used to it though.
Overall, a nice update. I'm happy they kept the overall look/feel of the original.
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:20 AM
Bud’s comment is:
I saw this last night for the first time.
Did anyone else think of USA Network's logo execution when they saw A&E's mark?
Bud’s comment is:
oops,
Just read Doug's comment. That'll teach me not to click on all relevant links.
B
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:41 AM
Mondayne’s comment is:
No way, the old one was much nicer looking. Granted the original letterforms in the new version are more modern and solid, but after it's been cut into it gets messy. The join of the ampersand to the E looks crude, particularly in the top left intersection... and the footless A really bothers me for some unknown reason.
That being said, the straight edge of the E is nicer than the angled one of the previous version.
I guess there are pro's and con's to the new version, but overall I'm not a fan. And the color scheme is bland at best. Also, is there a highlight/bevel coming in from the top left corner? Or is that a screen thing?
On Jun.04.2008 at 10:45 AM
Parks’s comment is:
Regarding both the A&E and USA logos:
"If we live in an "RGB world", why aren't these shinny and beveled.
Evidence that others in the field DO NOT think flat art is dead.
Sorry for the carried-over thoughts (that relate to this) from the previous, DirecTV post.
Just happy to see nice solutions go flat. Go 2-D!
On Jun.04.2008 at 11:11 AM
lodenmuse’s comment is:
This is no "mastery of negative space." Unnecessary bridge, missing A leg, inelegant ampersand, and "wide-stance 'A'."
At least the colors, non-angled 'E,' and staying 2-D make for a cleaner update, but with the clunky "&" growing so HUGE, I can only think of this:
felipe gil’s comment is:
C´mon people, that ampersand is getting his foot into the E´s mouth. It looks better than the old one because it is much better executed, but it looks terrible on close-up.
On Jun.04.2008 at 11:59 AM
Tony’s comment is:
I'm not a designer, but it seems like they could've avoided some of the complaints about the A if they angled it towards the E. Kind of like putting an ampersand in the middle of an Æ.
On Jun.04.2008 at 12:01 PM
Alfonso’s comment is:
It's like the E is smoking a cigarette whose smoke takes the shape of an ampersand. The extension of the A is a bit awkward, but I don't mind it terribly. As soon as I opened the article in Reader and saw the new logo, the first thing I thought was "it looks like an early draft". Upon further inspection, I think it looks more like a close-to-finished draft. But something is still unresolved, somehow.
I think it may have to do with the counter in the A being too close to the ampersand's butt. Also, the angle on the ampersand's "stem" could've helped give continuity to the A by aligning with the right leg of the A.
It's just a logo that, to me, looks OK and falls short of being awesome.
On Jun.04.2008 at 12:17 PM
Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:
While the negative space ampersand was a train wreck in the previous logo, at least the mark itself made a nice, balanced, symmetrical trapezoid.
The new execution is nice, but formally it seems to be missing some parts. Keeping the angled "E" to retain a nice shape may have helped. I don't think this one is nearly as nice as the USA logo, which really animates beautifully.
On Jun.04.2008 at 12:22 PM
John colucci’s comment is:
Thank god. I always thought they needed an upgrade.
On Jun.04.2008 at 12:35 PM
Jeff A.’s comment is:
Such a disappointment. A missed opportunity for greatness.
On Jun.04.2008 at 12:48 PM
Everyone but you’s comment is:
I'm lovin' it.
On Jun.04.2008 at 01:00 PM
dg3’s comment is:
I don't like it. The older one looks better.
On Jun.04.2008 at 01:32 PM
RSG’s comment is:
If you look at the press release, the reflected Mac-desktop-type surface on which the logo rests arguably compensates for the missing A leg. I'm not a designer either but once again it seems the priority here is to make something that looks good on screen when used with animation elements, and not necessarily brilliant as "stand-alone."
The old logo reminds me of A&E's beginnings as a network of cheap shelf product dressed up as class: WW2 documentaries, endless reruns of middle-brow art-house movies like "A Man and A Woman", and ads for subscribing to "Arts & Entertainment Magazine"... it all seems so quaint now, and much of the concept was spun off to the History and Biography channels long ago.
On Jun.04.2008 at 01:48 PM
Andrew Wilson’s comment is:
While I didn't care for the old logo, the serif ampersand made for a more elegant break in the letter forms. The uniformity of the sans is nice in the new version, but there is a strange disparity between the shape relationships, not to mention the awkwardness of the merge of the end of the ampersand and the bottom open slot on the "E." I'd call this a misfire (or an "almost"). A few more executions (or maybe some earlier ones) could have nailed it.
On Jun.04.2008 at 02:12 PM
Jeff Werner’s comment is:
Hey, A&E was my source of Law & Order reruns in throughout the 90s.
On Jun.04.2008 at 03:06 PM
dondon’s comment is:
LOVE LOVE LOVE this!
On Jun.04.2008 at 03:43 PM
Mark’s comment is:
I like it it looks more cohesive now, nice and sharp, I'm still wondering why they cut off the leg of the A closest to the E.
The way the ampersand interacts with the E in the old one just hurts...ouch.
On Jun.04.2008 at 03:48 PM
What’s comment is:
I used to watch A&E as a kid (go figure) and although I do watch Gene Simmons' show, it bothers me that A&E is now far more E than A. The knew logo is a nice update, but I liked the old ampersand much more; it wasn't perfect, but was more elegant.
On Jun.04.2008 at 04:09 PM
Joey Pfeifer’s comment is:
It's an improvement, but it also seems similar to the USA logo. A little too inspired, maybe.
On Jun.04.2008 at 04:22 PM
Wünderwoman’s comment is:
Sweet! Nice work.
On Jun.04.2008 at 04:23 PM
Michael’s comment is:
WTF!
Looks terrible, period!
Paul Riehle’s comment is:
The missing leg of the A is bugging me a bit, but overall good move forwards.
On Jun.04.2008 at 05:59 PM
rickyaustin’s comment is:
I prefer the old mark.
The new one has no character at all.
On Jun.04.2008 at 07:15 PM
Logo Critic’s comment is:
I hate the new one. The old one was nicer. Better than the tragedy that was it's predecessor (the ampersand in that one was too large, a problem shared by this one).
Also, HulkieD of TVNewsTalk says one thing kept them from getting this right: the end of the E needed to be slanted.
logocriticiswrong’s comment is:
logocritic is wrong
On Jun.04.2008 at 07:40 PM
noelle’s comment is:
dude. american justice. cold case files. intervention. give a&e a chance.
On Jun.04.2008 at 07:57 PM
Logo Critic’s comment is:
To "logocriticiswrong":
The opinion that the E needs slanting wasn't my opinion, it was someone else's. I simply put the picture up for others to examine and debate. Yeesh, no need to get fussy.
On Jun.04.2008 at 08:53 PM
Mark’s comment is:
I think there were going for a complete separation from their past image, hence why they got rid of the slant.
On Jun.04.2008 at 09:18 PM
Mark’s comment is:
I think they were going for a complete separation from their past image, hence why they got rid of the slant on the E.
On Jun.04.2008 at 09:20 PM
T-Bone’s comment is:
i like it, but would like to see it in a nicer looking typeface.
And the angled 'E' version above looks mental.
On Jun.04.2008 at 09:39 PM
diogo’s comment is:
A good improvement.
On Jun.05.2008 at 06:08 AM
Anonymous’s comment is:
Not a big fan - and this is far from mastering the negative space. It seems too clunky and slapped together. Not that the old one was great, but it would have been nice to see some continued serif/sans-serif play.
At least the old logo had some character - this one is void of all personality.
On Jun.05.2008 at 09:14 AM
g-sppud’s comment is:
Sorry - me above.
On Jun.05.2008 at 09:16 AM
Darrin Crescenzi’s comment is:
@ Logocritic
I think it was me who mentioned that the E could be slanted, but I didn't say that it should look like the logo from an unsigned '80s hair metal band. The point is to create a nicer, more balanced form than what currently exists, and your mock-up is certainly not what I had in mind. Thoughtful redrawing of the characters would be an absolute requirement here.
On Jun.05.2008 at 12:48 PM
Audrée Lapierre’s comment is:
like it
On Jun.05.2008 at 02:05 PM
Logo Critic’s comment is:
I didn't make the mock-up, HulkieD of TVNewsTalk did.
Maybe I should have mentioned that.
On Jun.05.2008 at 02:42 PM
Alfonso’s comment is:
In any case, I think the slanted E is fugly. Balance is (thankfully!) not always best achieved through symmetry.
On Jun.05.2008 at 02:56 PM
Justin Siddons’s comment is:
I thought immediately of the USA Channel logo. I actually like the execution of the USA one. The A&E new logo does reflect the modern transitions of the typefaces in logomarks now-a-days but I just don't think it's execution in the third dimension is a pleasing one. It's need to stay flat and one dimensional. I suggest they examine USA and TBS.
On Jun.05.2008 at 04:12 PM
Glenn ’s comment is:
What comes to mind is a bridle a horse wears. I guess "E" is "chomping at the bit"...
On Jun.06.2008 at 01:45 AM
mongoose’s comment is:
I rather like the new one; The old one was solid, but when compared to the new one, it looks rather. hmmm.. 'forced'. The new logo is clearly A-&-E Lef to right, and the loss of the slant on the E further reinforces that. It's crisp, witht he middle bar of the E just slightly shorter and thinner.. it took until the fourth look to notice that. The new logo is two clear letters and a symbol, and for that, I like it.
On Jun.06.2008 at 02:43 AM
susy’s comment is:
would much perfer this if the ampersand didn't interrupt right below the crossbar of the E.
I like the concept...but it doesn't feel resolved as a mark. there are one too many ideas going on, not to mention the weight of the a and the e look completely different, now.
On Jun.07.2008 at 12:39 PM
Greg Formager’s comment is:
The bridge on the top is great. Where the ampersand terminates in the E is perfect (thankfully!). Going with all sans-serif was a good choice.
This masters the negative space and has a lot of character. I like how there are not too many ideas going on.
Also love how they cut the leg off of the A.
On Jun.07.2008 at 02:34 PM
Daniel Campos’s comment is:
I liked the new logo! It's more modern than another.
On Jun.09.2008 at 09:37 AM
damon’s comment is:
I almost like it...
it's half great, half awkward as mentioned by several people. the A & is weird at the bottom, but the & and E combo is really quite beautiful.
and ya...A&E is worth watching for american justice and cold case files alone.
On Jun.10.2008 at 05:04 PM
dk’s comment is:
Doesn't really matter because in two years it will change again… Haha… I think TV logos are going to keep changing until the network selects one that can finally morph and explode all over the TV screen as opposed to just the lower right-hand corner.
HBO is still king
On Jun.11.2008 at 09:01 AM
Ryan’s comment is:
check out eatons logo:
On Jun.11.2008 at 03:57 PM
Gitamba’s comment is:
The new logo was well executed. I was never a fan of the old oen and the dealing with the white space by expanding the b ridge was the right move. And yes I agree there is a similarity to USA's logo revamp a few years back.
On Jun.12.2008 at 12:25 PM
Kevin’s comment is:
"I like the concept...but it doesn't feel resolved as a mark. there are one too many ideas going on, not to mention the weight of the a and the e look completely different, now."
Exactly what I was thinking, Susy. The weight of the two letters is off and really bugs me.
On Jun.13.2008 at 09:36 AM
Char’s comment is:
I love it. Beautifully executed... for the missing parts on the A, your imagination fills the blank.
On Jun.27.2008 at 11:19 AM
Martin Kuplens-Ewart’s comment is:
Bringing the ampersand into alignment with the A and E, as well as unifying the typeface contributes one more hidden benefit: as your eye (well, mine at least) quickly scans across the logo, the negative space in the ampersand and the horizontal bars of the E read as references to the stars and stripes of the US flag.
On Jul.03.2008 at 02:50 PM
Jimmy’s comment is:
I absolutely love the new logo except for the fact that it appears as though the leg of the A is missing =\
Anyone else agree?
mj’s comment is:
Best logo on cable.
On Sep.09.2008 at 12:05 PM
Comments in Brand New, V1.0 have been closed.
