Designing Idents for Television
What is an ident? Identifying the channel:
BBC One:
BBC One:
We see idents all over television channels. A prime example would be on the broadcasting channels, BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Four and Channel 4. These channels all present sequences that form a shape or sequences that form around the channel name. This can be shown through BBC One's sequence showing a hot air balloon descending onto the ground and the BBC One logo appears at the bottoms of the screen. Shown below is the ident.
The first television ident was broadcast in 1953 on the BBC and was given the name "Bat Wings". This came into place as commercial television began to expand across the country and because of this, viewers had to distinguish between different channels so the idea of idents was indeed clever. Shown below is the BBC's first ident.
By 1960 the BBC had released another ident for "BBC TV". The ident demonstrates the map of Britain and shows each region of where the channel is being broadcast. In 1963 BBC released an ident entitled "The Globe" and a voice would announce "This is BBC Television".
BBC Two and Other Channels:
By 1964, BBC Two was released to the country.
Now that commercial media was spreading fast, more and more channels were being discovered and by the 1990's, satellite television was becoming very popular, so this meant that idents were extremely important for television so viewers can identify each channel.
Nickelodeon is a very popular children's channel founded in 1977 and has been known for broadcasting shows such as Kenan and Kel (1996), iCarly (2007) and Victorious (2010).
Sky has also created various channels over the years and have become popular. Channels such as Sky Atlantic (shown opposite) have broadcast popular shows such as Game of Thrones (2011), Fortitude (2015) and The Tunnel (2013).
The BBC is a non-commercial channel, therefore they do not have the time to broadcast advertisements in between scheduling . Whereas channels like the ITV or Channel 4 (for example) are commercial channels and they do in fact have the time to broadcast advertisements to the public.
Since the BBC is a non-commercial channel, idents are used in place of advertisements in order to provide time. This time can be used for the following:
Creating Corporate Identity:
An ident is also useful for creating a brand in various locations around the world. A perfect example of worldwide locations would again be the BBC. The BBC doesn't only broadcast shows in the UK, they also broadcast shows in the US and other countries. BBC America is a channel used to broadcast programmes within the United States, and evidently there is a clear consistency within the BBC's channels. The BBC has a consistent font style and this is demonstrated through each BBC channel and this helps to a create corporate identity so that viewers all around the world are aware that each ident for each channel can be identified.
Creating a Brand and Encouraging Brand Loyalty:
An ident is an efficient way of encouraging brand loyalty. The broadcasted ident enables viewers to become engaged with that particular channel over time and this could eventually lead viewers into watching their favourite programmes on that particular channel. If viewers watch an ident that is broadcast on Sky Atlantic (for example) and a programme they take interest in then follows that ident, the gradually they will stay loyal to that channel.
If an ident is consistently being broadcast as viewers watch television, they will remember the ident (especially if the ident is creative). If the eye captures an image of some importance, it will visually remind viewers to come back to a particular channel again.
Branding of Particular Content:
Idents can be created to promote a programme or to brand the content that belongs to a channel and this is portrayed a lot in the media. An example of this would be the popular East End programme; "EastEnders". For the first ever live episode of EastEnders in 2010, BBC one produced an ident for the show (shown below).
To promote the second series of the popular programme The Voice, BBC One created an ident for the show. This ident was good promotion for the channel as well as the programme as it can lead to a wider audience.
Sports and news channels also create idents suited for their theme. "Sky Sports News" and the popular singing competition programme; "The Voice" are prime examples of how idents are created to suit a theme and shown below are a couple of examples of this. This ident for Sky Sports News is advertising what they would normally broadcast on this type of channel - a variety of sports. Other idents created for this channel would be broadcast if a football match was being played, an example of this would focus on both teams and then proceed to place the logo afterwards when the ident is coming to an end.
Another popular sports channel would be BBC Sport.
Creating the Right Tone and Appealing to the Audience:
Channels such as BBC Three (discontinued on television in 2016) would start at 19:00/7:00pm every day and would broadcast comedic, adult humour cartoons amongst other programmes of this nature as it got later. BBC Three's audience was targeted towards teenagers and adults and would broadcast programmes to attract a wider target audience, and this was helped by broadcasting programmes that were relatable and humorous to teenagers and adults.
A Marketing Opportunity:
Each year idents are produced and broadcast for marketing purposes and these are portrayed during Christmas for example. In 2009, BBC One produced an ident featuring David Tennant for Christmas. The BBC was clever here as they used a popular figure head during the this time when David Tennant played the popular Dr. Who. Dr. Who is an extremely popular programme with a large audience and the BBC were aware of this. If fans of the show saw David Tennant during this broadcasting period, they would most likely continue to watch the channel for a while.
Packaging and Re-Packaging a Series of Programmes or Event:
As I have stated previously, idents can be created for promotional uses (The Voice), this can also be used to promote other television series or events such as the Olympics.
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| BBC One's hot air balloon ident |
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| BBC's "Bat Wings" ident |
The first television ident was broadcast in 1953 on the BBC and was given the name "Bat Wings". This came into place as commercial television began to expand across the country and because of this, viewers had to distinguish between different channels so the idea of idents was indeed clever. Shown below is the BBC's first ident.
 |
| BBC TV ident |
By 1960 the BBC had released another ident for "BBC TV". The ident demonstrates the map of Britain and shows each region of where the channel is being broadcast. In 1963 BBC released an ident entitled "The Globe" and a voice would announce "This is BBC Television".
BBC Two and Other Channels:
 |
| BBC Two ident |
Now that commercial media was spreading fast, more and more channels were being discovered and by the 1990's, satellite television was becoming very popular, so this meant that idents were extremely important for television so viewers can identify each channel.
 |
| Nickelodeon's ident |
Nickelodeon is a very popular children's channel founded in 1977 and has been known for broadcasting shows such as Kenan and Kel (1996), iCarly (2007) and Victorious (2010).
 |
| Sky Atlantic ident |
Sky has also created various channels over the years and have become popular. Channels such as Sky Atlantic (shown opposite) have broadcast popular shows such as Game of Thrones (2011), Fortitude (2015) and The Tunnel (2013).
Organising the Schedule:
Idents appear in preparation for the following programme that is about to begin. Idents follow a specific sequence of notifying viewers that the next programme will commence and this is ideal because it gives viewers time to prepare. An ident organises key information to inform viewers of the programming of a specific channel.
Segmentation of the Scheduling:
The BBC is a non-commercial channel, therefore they do not have the time to broadcast advertisements in between scheduling . Whereas channels like the ITV or Channel 4 (for example) are commercial channels and they do in fact have the time to broadcast advertisements to the public.
Since the BBC is a non-commercial channel, idents are used in place of advertisements in order to provide time. This time can be used for the following:
- To provide information to viewers about the channel.
- Allow time for the next programme to start (regulating time).
- Allowing staff in the studio to have a short break (for example; news reporters).
- Promoting a variety of programmes.
Creating Corporate Identity:
An ident is also useful for creating a brand in various locations around the world. A perfect example of worldwide locations would again be the BBC. The BBC doesn't only broadcast shows in the UK, they also broadcast shows in the US and other countries. BBC America is a channel used to broadcast programmes within the United States, and evidently there is a clear consistency within the BBC's channels. The BBC has a consistent font style and this is demonstrated through each BBC channel and this helps to a create corporate identity so that viewers all around the world are aware that each ident for each channel can be identified.
Creating a Brand and Encouraging Brand Loyalty:
An ident is an efficient way of encouraging brand loyalty. The broadcasted ident enables viewers to become engaged with that particular channel over time and this could eventually lead viewers into watching their favourite programmes on that particular channel. If viewers watch an ident that is broadcast on Sky Atlantic (for example) and a programme they take interest in then follows that ident, the gradually they will stay loyal to that channel.
If an ident is consistently being broadcast as viewers watch television, they will remember the ident (especially if the ident is creative). If the eye captures an image of some importance, it will visually remind viewers to come back to a particular channel again.
Branding of Particular Content:
Idents can be created to promote a programme or to brand the content that belongs to a channel and this is portrayed a lot in the media. An example of this would be the popular East End programme; "EastEnders". For the first ever live episode of EastEnders in 2010, BBC one produced an ident for the show (shown below).
Another popular sports channel would be BBC Sport.
Creating the Right Tone and Appealing to the Audience:
Channels such as BBC Three (discontinued on television in 2016) would start at 19:00/7:00pm every day and would broadcast comedic, adult humour cartoons amongst other programmes of this nature as it got later. BBC Three's audience was targeted towards teenagers and adults and would broadcast programmes to attract a wider target audience, and this was helped by broadcasting programmes that were relatable and humorous to teenagers and adults.
A Marketing Opportunity:
Each year idents are produced and broadcast for marketing purposes and these are portrayed during Christmas for example. In 2009, BBC One produced an ident featuring David Tennant for Christmas. The BBC was clever here as they used a popular figure head during the this time when David Tennant played the popular Dr. Who. Dr. Who is an extremely popular programme with a large audience and the BBC were aware of this. If fans of the show saw David Tennant during this broadcasting period, they would most likely continue to watch the channel for a while.
Packaging and Re-Packaging a Series of Programmes or Event:
As I have stated previously, idents can be created for promotional uses (The Voice), this can also be used to promote other television series or events such as the Olympics.
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