Channel 4’s idents have a big creative legacy to live up to, as previous versions have been celebrated. In its own marketing, the broadcaster is best known for its idents and award-winning films for the Paralympics.
The last time Channel 4 redid its idents was in 2017, with its 4 logo personified as a charming giant character that roamed the U.K. Directed by Dougal Wilson, those spots had a playful, light-hearted tone.
Before that, Channel 4’s idents were remade in 2015 by renowned director Jonathan Glazer, who deconstructed the logo in surreal, abstract filmmaking.
Representing Britain
This new branding comes at an eventful time for both Channel 4 and the wider television sector.
Channel 4 is publicly owned, but there have been years of debate over whether it should be privatized. Earlier this year, the U.K. government abandoned its plans to sell off the channel.
As one of the main broadcasters in the U.K., Channel 4 is also facing increasing competition from streamers. In May, it launched a rebranding campaign and subsumed its streaming service All4 under the parent brand.
So besides providing a visual feast, the idents also attempt to answer a bigger question: What does Channel 4 stand for?
“Channel 4 is still an important part of the cultural fabric of this country,” Atkin said. “We wanted to invite in lots of different voices.”
The broadcaster invited submissions from creators across the U.K. to interpret one of its five themes, each of which represents a different aspect of British life. The open brief encouraged a diversity of expression and resulted in more than 500 initial ideas.
“Our idents reach 50 million people in the U.K. every month, so we wanted to represent all of us,” Channel 4’s chief marketing officer, Zaid Al-Qassab, said in a statement. “This is not only a representation of Channel 4; this is the most viewed piece of public art in the U.K. that will be seen for many years to come.”
4Creative commissioned Holt, founder and editor of independent magazine LAW, to write a piece accompanying the standalone film that would capture the nation’s spirit.
