Brett Phillips from 3 Deep design tempted Nowality to rattle the cage regarding the recent “refresh” of the ABC’s graphic identity; Australia’s public free to air television broadcaster. So if this piece offends track down Brett as well.

The new year is usually the time for television broadcasters to launch a new season identities or overhaul the brand identity. The last tv brand that hit the Australian with a bang was Channel 7’s brand change on the first day of a new millenia in 2000.

The new ABC brand has been launched with mixed reviews. A brand like the ABC has a lot of history, however over fifty years it has stayed almost the same – probably because it is a public service, rather than a commercial enterprise. The bigger-better-newer factor to attract high ratings and good advertisers isn’t a major factor influencing the development of the ABC’s marketing and brand. 

The digital age has changed the broadcasting in Australia. Media providers have the opportunity to be multichannel broadcasters. As the ABC’s marketing video states – the new digital channel – ABC 2 introduced in 2006, didn’t link in with the existing ABC channel (or Channel 2), and an obvious branding problem transpired.

The new branding scheme launched in February is an attempt to fix the overall brand presentation. The mixed feedback of the new ABC 1 and ABC 2 scheme suggest that the solution is still a work in progress.

The current presentation to have too much going on; what was once a symbol, now has type, a boxed area and symbol too. The discrete on screen branding, or watermark, that has been enjoyed in the past is now a blatant expression. Today it is hard to watch a program on ABC 1 or ABC 2 without being bugged by the watermark in the bottom right corner of the screen – a type, symbol and an area of colour cluster. Blog sites around Australia are rumbling with the same comment.With all due respect to the team that put this scheme together – doesn’t at least one of these elements have to go? – the cluster of type, the symbol and the area of colour? I look at the new ABC scheme and think of my partner as she leaves to go out – routinely she will take a last look in the mirror, remove an something and walk out the door. The design team at the ABC seems to have taken a last look, tried to remove something, but market testing said no, and then launched the new brand campaign.We have taken the liberty of removing either the word ABC or the ABC’s symbol – lissajous curve, to make a point. The symbol and number seem to make sense.

As a design company, we will of course have comments on the tired choice of type – Din (we think) – a type choice that addresses the requirement of the design brief “for a modern, hip, trendy feel”. The current summer ident – bold stripes of red, white and blue creates a Bastille Day crossed with the return of Brit Pop impression, could the designer be french or english one asks?If it is any consolation the recent BBC multichannel brand solution in the UK is heavy handed too. It seems that in 2008 people have become less sophisticated visually and the trend to be blatant over discrete continues. Even though humanity is the most media savvy that it have even been in its 3.6 million year history.

As the clip above clearly demonstrates, the watermark pre change was less of a distraction. Can the management and design team at the ABC give some further thought to this current watermark eye sore – the cliché type choice and summer colour scheme one can live with.

Watch the ABC’s brand launch promo here
1 Sources Wikipedia