BBC Three has moved online and suspended its TV broadcast, but for many that was not the big talking point. The move was signified by a new logo which has polarized opinion the country wide! Fear not, for the Oakbase design team is here to offer insight as to why they’ve gone down the path they have, and to put our considered opinion into the mix!
Clearly progression has been evidenced in logo designs at each key stage of BBC Three’s life. The original logo was bold, making a real statement about the interesting new emerging channel that it was when it first came onto the scene. When they decided to focus their programming on a younger target audience we saw the familiar stylish, slick design and vibrant colours which were well aligned with millennials. Finally, we’ve been introduced to a somewhat more ‘symbolic’ logo in an effort to communicate the new positioning for the channel. It is intended to represent the three principles of BBC Three as a service – making viewers think, laugh and have a voice.
Firstly, we’re relieved to see that the magenta colour has been kept. This helps current viewers to make the connection between the TV and online entity, so as not to alienate these dedicated viewers. This is, essentially, the same channel, talking to the same people. The only thing really to have changed is the medium through which it is watched, so staying true to the brand was critical to appealing to existing viewers.
Further, the new animated idents are fantastic and do a brilliant job of reinforcing the channel principles that are represented by the three roman numerals. This helps again to re-enforce the new brand’s positioning, which really is the whole purpose of the rebrand. So in that sense, it has been a success. However, we do have our gripes!
It isn’t immediately obvious what the logo actually is and is open to misinterpretation. All the best logos are instantly recognisable, simple symbols that everyone can associate with – perhaps the ambiguity of the new BBC Three logo will miss out on the unanimity of something truly iconic. So where it makes sense on further inspection, it may lack the power to truly cut through to burn an impression on the population’s collective memory. Also, for OCD creatives like ourselves, the alignment with the BBC squares is somewhat off-putting! It’s hard to see past it once you’ve seen it and takes away from the intended message.
One thing’s for sure, it has got people talking, so in a sense it has done its job. Food for thought, anyway. Let us know your opinions!
