BY Ryan Hembree

Short, Sweet and to the Point

Three-letter cable channel identifications seem to be all the rage lately. One merely has to channel surf to find plenty of three letter abbreviations for different networks: CNN, TNT, TBS, TLC, TNN, A&E; and the list goes on. Apparently network execs think that their viewers don’t have the mental capacity or intelligence to recall their favorite channels — or perhaps this trend is the result of an instant gratification society in which the proliferation of instant messaging has diminished our ability to read, write and think in complete thoughts and sentences.

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BY Armin

Ready, Aim, Appropriate?

In January, BBC America launched a new, complementary icon to complete a redesigned identity for the channel that has brought us little marvels like The Office and Footballers’ Wives to America. Designed by broadcast-specialized agency, mOcean (pronounced “motion”), the new icon is a big, bold, red-white-and-blue “Bulls-A” (get it? Bulls Eye?) that complements the recognizable three-square BBC logo giving the American channel its own personality and attitude with the continued (visual) support of its British counterpart — and lest we forget that, the new tag line is: “A little Brit different”.

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BY Armin

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Flare…

Established in 1933, the British Film Institute was created to “promote greater understanding, appreciation and access to film and television culture.” The BFI also serves as a repository for film, film stills and film posters; it runs the National Film Theatre and London Film Festival, as well as the BFI IMAX Cinema; and it also releases films in cinema and on DVDs, publishes books and runs educational programs. In other words, the BFI knows film. And was in need of an identity that established it as a leading organization in the crowded film industry. Stepping away from film clichés London-based johnson banks designed a cinematic identity around the idea of lens flares, creating a sense of movement and layering and, perhaps romantically on my part, a portrayal of those magical moments in film where you are momentarily brightened by a line of dialog, a great chase or a real display of emotion. Johnson banks’ solution might seem complex and highly illustrative, specifically compared to the old logo — which I particularly like — but considering that this identity will live mostly on screen and in 4-color posters it is a refreshing departure from traditional identity design and quite appropriate for the client and audience.

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BY Armin

New TV Channel is Reel Zimple

Just like there is a sucker born every minute it seems like a TV network is born every other minute to satisfy all us suckers. The most recent addition to the airwaves is the all new ReelzChannel, devoting its 24/7 airtime to everything there is to want to know about movies. The identity of the channel along with that of some of its original programming was designed by New York-based Trollbäck + Company, whose TV track record includes the redesign of CourtTV, AMC and the repackaging of CBS’ On-Air graphics.

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