BBC ident research

1. BBC IDENT RESEARCH
UNIT 32 LO1
TOM CASEY

2. Introduction
MY NAME IS THOMAS CASEY AND IN THIS PRESENTATION I WILL BE TALKING TO YOU ABOUT HOW
THE BBC USE AND HOW THEY HAVE USED IDENTS, LOOKING AT BBC ONE, BBC THREE AND
CBBC THEN COMPARING THESE TO HOW A NON-BBC ENTITY USES IDENTS, IN MY CASE THIS WILL
BE SKY 1

3. WHAT IS AN IDENT
AN IDENT IS THE SHORT PIECE OF FOOTAGE AIRED BETWEEN TV PROGRAMMES USED TO RETAIN
VIEWERSHIP BY TELLING THEM WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT, MARKET UPCOMING SHOWS, ALLOWS
THE VIEWER TO IDENTIFY THE CHANNEL THEY’RE ON AND CREATES BRAND IDENTITY/LOYALTY

4. HOW HAVE THE BBC’S IDENTS CHANGED OVER
TIME
OVER THE COURSE OF THE CHANNELS EXISTENCE MANY DIFFERENT IDENTS HAVE BEEN USED, THIS IS DUE
TO NEW TECHNOLOGY BEING AVAILABLE TO THE BBC AND IF THEY REBRAND DUE TO A CHANGE IN THE
CONTENT THEY PRODUCE. ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT HAS STRETCHED THROUGH A LARGE AMOUNT
OF THE IDENTS USE GLOBE AND CIRCULAR IMAGERY, WITH THE GLOBE CONNOTING THAT THERE CONTENT
IS WORLD CLASS OR THAT THE CONTENT, ESPECIALLY THE NEWS, HAS GLOBAL IMPACTS AND TELLS YOU
WHAT GOES ON AROUND THE WORLD.
THE BBC’S IDENTS IN MY OPINION WERE HEAVILY EFFECTED BY THE TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE, GOING
FROM THE 1953 BATWING IDENT TO THE 1969 MIRROR GLOBE IDENT WHICH CAME ABOUT WHEN THE
BBC STARTED TRANSMITTING IN COLOUR. THIS EVOLVING AND REBRANDING WITH THE TIMES HAS HELPED
THE BBC KEEP RELEVANT AND THE EARLY IDENTS REFLECT WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH TELEVISION OF THE
ERA.
Grames (1953) BBC (1969) BBC(1985) BBC (2006)

5. IDENT 1 – (BBC 2013)

6. IDENT 1 - OVERVIEW
THE FIRST IDENT I AM LOOKING AT IS A REPACKAGED ‘CIRCLE’ IDENT USED TO ADVERTISE THE
DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSARY (BBC 2013)
The use of space
connotes pioneering
the way in British
television due to the
common idea of space
exploration being
“going where no man
has gone before”
The use of the sci-fi genre in the ident
perfectly links into advertising for
doctor who as it in itself is a sci-fi show
making it effective as it already
establishes the genre of the
programme it is advertising and
makes audiences know what to
Furthermore, the use of
red when establishing
the circle is effective as
red is the core of BBC
one’s thematic palette
and makes the channel

7. IDENT 1 – IDENTITY AND BRANDING
THIS IDENT USES THE BASIC CIRCLE FORMAT SYNONYMOUS WITH BBC ONE IDENTS, USING SCI-FI
TRAPPINGS AS IT ADVERTISES DOCTOR WHO ESTABLISHING GENRE EFFECTIVELY FOR A FLAGSHIP
PROGRAMME THAT IS CORE TO THE GENERAL PROGRAMMING OF THE BBC AND IS ONE OF THE
LONGEST RUNNING PROGRAMMES AIRED ON THE BBC.
THIS IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AT SHOWING IDENTITY AS IT INITIALLY TELLS YOU THE CHANNEL YOU ARE
ON AND THEN MARKETS A SHOW PRIMARILY FOUND ON BBC AND SERVES AS SHORTHAND TO
DOCTOR WHO’S AUDIENCE TO BE EXCITED FOR WHEN THIS COMES ON.
THE USE OF THE TYPICAL BBC BRANDING USED IN THE LOGO AND ‘CIRCLE’ STYLE OF IDENT
IMMEDIATELY TELLS THE AUDIENCE WHAT CHANNEL THEY ARE ON DUE TO IT BEING THE BBC’S
TYPICAL STYLE, THIS IS EFFECTIVE AS IT USES AN ALREADY ESTABLISHED IDEA THAT THE AUDIENCE
WILL KNOW EVEN IF IT IS SUBCONSCIOUSLY.

8. IDENT 1 – MARKETING AND SCHEDULING
IN THIS IDENT I THINK THE WAY IT MARKETS THE PRODUCT IS CLEVER AS IT GIVES YOU A QUICK FLASH OF THE 11TH
DOCTOR, MATT SMITH, AND HE SAYS “IT’S ALL BE LEADING TO THIS” HINTING AT THE FACT THAT THIS SPECIAL
EPISODE WILL BE EXCITING AND SOMETHING YOU NEED TO WATCH. FURTHERMORE THIS MAY GENERATE INTEREST IN
AN AUDIENCE WHO DOESN’T USUALLY WATCH DOCTOR WHO DUE TO THIS QUICK MARKETING METHOD AIMED TO
MAKE YOU ASK WHAT WAS THAT AND GENERATE A BUZZ AROUND THE PRODUCT
THIS IDENT IS OKAY AT SCHEDULING AS IT LETS THE AUDIENCE KNOW THAT THE DOCTOR WHO 50TH SPECIAL IS
COMING UP SOON HOWEVER IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT IS COMING UP NEXT OVER THE TOP OF IT DUE TO
THE FACT THAT IT FEATURES A CHARACTER SPEAKING WHICH BREAKS THE CONVENTIONS OF IDENTS AS THEY TEND TO
BE AMBIENT NOISE WITH A DIEGETIC OR NON-DIEGETIC SCORE IN THE BACKGROUND . DESPITE THIS THE ENDING OF
THE IDENT COULD QUITE EASILY BE LOOPED TO FILL TIME IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH SCHEDULING OR IF YOU NEED
TO ANNOUNCE AN IMPORTANT EVENT AS THE END OF THE IDENT PURELY USES DIEGETIC SOUND OF THE DRONE ON
THE MOON.

9. Why Ident 1 is a marketing ident
IDENT 1’S PURPOSE IS CLEARLY AS A MARKETING IDENT IN THE WAY IT ALTERS AN ESTABLISHED
IDENT IN A PART OF A PSEUDO-GUERRILLA MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY
SPECIAL OF DOCTOR WHO BY HAVING THE DOCTOR SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE IMMERSING THEM
IN THE WORLD OF THE SHOW AND MAKING THEM FEEL PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO BY THE
DOCTOR POTENTIALLY MAKING THEM FEEL THE NEED TO WATCH THE SHOW.

10. IDENT 2 – (TELLY CAPS 2008)

11. IDENT 2 - OVERVIEW (got taken down)
THE SECOND IDENT I AM LOOKING AT IS ‘WORLD’ FROM BBC 3 IN 2008 (TELLY CAPS 2008)
The constant use of bright
colours in this ident connotes
excitement and light
heartedness which is effective
as at this point most comedy
shows were aired on BBC 3
The more cartoony visual
style and a world filled with
colour and technology
shows that it is aimed more
at the young adults – mid
20’s demographic as it is less
serious and more
contemporary than BBC one

12. IDENT 3 – (DONUT PRODUCTIONS 2016)

13. IDENT 3 - OVERVIEW
This ident follows a majority of the
conventions of an ident due to its
quick pace, advertising of shows on
the channel and it is accessible to
all from the use of different races
and genders
The use of colour in this ident
reflects the fact that that the
channel is aimed at ages 6-12
so the vibrant colour is
effective at grabbing their
attention
The use of a mixture of
animated and non animated
footage is effective as it
represents the different
content available on cbbc

14. IDENT 3 – IDENTITY AND BRANDING
IN TERMS OF IDENTITY, THIS IS PART OF A SUITE WHICH USES THE SAME IDEA, FEATURING THE
LETTERS THAT SPELL CBBC IN DIFFERENT SHOWS OR SHORT ANIMATED SECTIONS. THE STYLE IS
ALSO A SIGNIFIER OF THE CONTENT FEATURED ON THE CHANNEL: COMEDY AND ANIMATION
AIMED AT CHILDREN, THIS IS EFFECTIVE AS IT LET’S PARENTS KNOW THAT THIS IS OKAY FOR THEIR
CHILDREN TO WATCH
THE USE OF BRANDING IS QUITE SIMPLE BUT IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE COMPLEX AS IT IS AIMED AT
CHILDREN; THE WAY BRANDING IS ESTABLISHED IS THROUGH A SOUND MOTIF AND VISUAL
MOTIF. THE SOUND MOTIF IS FOUND AT THE END WHEN YOU HEAR “CBBC” AND THE SCORE
BEHIND IT IS CATCHY. THE VISUAL MOTIF IS THE USE OF BLOCKY VIBRANT GREEN LETTERING AND
THEMATIC PALLETTE FOUND ACROSS THE VIDEO DUE TO ALL FOCAL POINTS BEING GREEN

15. IDENT 3 – MARKETING AND SCHEDULING
THE USE OF MARKETING IN THIS IS QUITE CLEVER DUE TO THE USE OF ESTABLISHED PROPERTIES IN
THE IDENT AND THE FACT THAT THE FIRST PERSON YOU SEE IS RICHARD HAMMOND WHO IS
ESTABLISHED IN BBC PROGRAMMING WHICH MAY MAKE THE AUDIENCE WANT TO WATCH THE
PROGRAMME HE STARS IN.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT VERY EFFECTIVE AT SCHEDULING DUE TO ITS LACK OF VOICE OVER AND
HOW LONG IT IS. THIS MEANS THAT YOU CAN’T ANNOUNCE A SHOW OVER IT OR USE IT THAT
EFFECTIVELY TO FILL TIME UNLESS YOU LOOPED THE ENTIRE IDENT.

16. IDENT COMPARISONS
IN THE THREE BBC IDENTS I HAVE LOOKED AT, YOU CAN SEE SIMILARITIES MAINLY BETWEEN
CBBC AND BBC 3 DUE TO THE CLOSENESS AT THEIR TARGET AUDIENCES, HOWEVER BBC3
STILL APPEARS MORE MATURE THAN CBBC DUE TO THE IN YOUR FACE NATURE OF THE MUSIC
AND THEMATIC PALETTE USED IN THE CBBC IDENT.
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES ARE BETWEEN THE TWO IDENTS AND THE BBC ONE IDENT, DUE TO
THE USE OF CGI AND ANIMATION BEING THE PRIMARY FORM OF VISUALS IN BOTH BBC3 AND
CBBC WITH BBC ONE’S IDENT PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON SIMPLE IMAGERY AND EASILY
IDENTIFIABLE BRANDING

17. NON-BBC IDENT - (ident gallery 2015)
IN THIS IDENT SKY 1 ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES AS A PLACE OF COMEDY AND FUN, USING THE NOSTALGIA AROUND THE MUPPETS AND
THE RESURGENCE OF A FAN BASE DUE TO THE RECENT FILMS AND TV SHOWS, AS WE KNOW THAT MUPPETS IS A VERY TYPICAL COMEDY. THEY
ESPECIALLY USE THIS IDEA OF PLAYING ON CHILDHOOD THROUGH THE USE OF MISS PIGGY WHO, AS IN OTHER MEDIA, COMES TO THE
CENTRE OF ATTENTION AT THE END POSITIONING HERSELF IN FRONT OF THE SKY 1 LOGO.
FURTHERMORE, THE LOGO IS A CONSTANT THROUGHOUT THE IDENT AND IS THE FIRST THING TO DRAW YOUR FOCUS WITH A CLEAR IMAGE
THAT IS FRONT AND CENTRE, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DONE BECAUSE IT PROMOTES THE BRAND DUE TO THE CLEAR IMAGE OF THE LOGO.
ALSO THE USE OF VOICE OVER TO PROMOTE SUPERGIRL OVER AN IDENT THAT PROMOTES THE MUPPETS MEANS THAT YOU ARE BUILDING UP
THE RECOGNITION OF BOTH SHOWS IN ONE IDENT WHICH IS USEFUL AS IT SHOULD BUILD UP AUDIENCE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SKY 1 AND
ACTION OR COMEDY FITTING IN WITH THE GENERAL THEME OF SHOWS AIRED ON SKY 1; ACTION/SUPERHERO LIKE ARROW, THE FLASH AND
SUPERGIRL AND COMEDIES LIKE MODERN FAMILY, THE MUPPETS AND A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN.
THIS MAY BE USEFUL FOR SCHEDULING AS IT TELLS THE AUDIENCE ABOUT A NEW SHOW THAT WILL BE COMING ON TO THE TV SOON, HYPING
IT UP PHRASES LIKE “BRAND NEW” AND “HIGH FLYING ACTION” THEN TELLING THE AUDIENCE WHEN IT IS DUE TO AIR.

18. Why my non BBC ident is also a marketing ident
THIS IDENT IS A MARKETING IDENT AS IT ADVERTISES A NEW (AT THE TIME) SHOW ON SKY 1, “THE
MUPPETS” THIS FITS THE CONVENTIONS OF A MARKETING IDENT BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE
PROGRAMME OFF THROUGH THE USE OF MISS PIGGY AS A FOCAL POINT OF THE IDENT TAKING
THE LIMELIGHT WHICH IS IN CHARACTER FOR HER.
FURTHERMORE THE USE OF NOSTALGIA AS A MARKETING METHOD IN THIS IDENT IS CLEAR DUE TO
IT RELYING ON THE AUDIENCE HAVING A BASE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROPERTY THE IDENT IS BASED
ON. THIS IS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING METHOD AS PEOPLE WILL WANT TO WATCH AT LEAST ONE
EPISODE TO SEE HOW THE CHARACTERS THEY MAY HAVE GROWN UP WITH HAVE CHANGED OVER
THE YEARS IN THIS INTERPRETATION.

19. COMPARISON BETWEEN BBC AND NON BBC
IDENTSIN MANY WAYS THE IDENTS ACROSS THE BBC AND SKY ONE ARE SIMILAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE
AND INTENT: TO MARKET NEW SHOWS, TO MAINTAIN VIEWERSHIP AND TO INFORM THE AUDIENCE WHAT
PROGRAMME IS COMING UP NEXT.
HOWEVER THE APPROACH BETWEEN THE TWO IS QUITE DIFFERENT, WITH BBC AS THEY HAVE MANY
ESTABLISHED CHANNELS AIMING AT DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS THE IDENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO
APPEAL TO THE AUDIENCE OF THE CHANNEL WHICH IS EFFECTIVE AT MAINTAINING YOUR ESTABLISHED
AUDIENCE, WHEREAS WITH SKY, MOST OF THE CONTENT ON THEIR CHANNELS IS AIMED AT A MORE
MATURE AUDIENCE SO THEIR IDENTS REFLECT THAT.
WITH SKY ONE’S IDENTS DUE TO THIS BEING THE MAIN CHANNEL WHICH IS DESIGNED TO APPEAL TO A
LARGER AUDIENCE THAN OTHERS THE IDENT APPEARS TO BE CLEAN AND SOPHISTICATED BUT USES A
PROPERTY ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDREN EMPHASISING THE FAMILY NATURE OF THIS CHANNEL. WHEN
COMPARED WITH THE BBC ONE MARKETING IDENT THERE IS ONE MAIN DIFFERENCE, THE BBC USE THEIR
ESTABLISHED BRANDING TO MARKET MAKING IT SLIGHTLY MORE EFFECTIVE IN MY OPINION AS SOMEONE
WITHOUT PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF DOCTOR WHO BUT WATCHING BBC CAN STILL KNOW THAT THIS IS BBC
ONE.

20. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• DICTIONARY.COM. 2018. IDENT DEFINITION. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.DICTIONARY.COM/BROWSE/IDENT?S=T. [ACCESSED 17 SEPTEMBER
2018]. – IDENT DEFINITION
• BBC. 2013. IDENT INTERRUPTION 2 - THE DAY OF THE DOCTOR - DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIVERSARY - BBC ONE. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE
AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=WRGCME6DV6A. [ACCESSED 17 SEPTEMBER 2018].– IDENT 1
• WIKIPEDIA. 2018. HISTORY OF BBC TELEVISION IDENTS. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/HISTORY_OF_BBC_TELEVISION_IDENTS.
[ACCESSED 17 SEPTEMBER 2018] - RESEARCH
• TELLY CAPS. 2008. BBC THREE IDENT - INTRO/WORLD 2008. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=RQ7JG_6935I.
[ACCESSED 17 SEPTEMBER 2018] – IDENT 2
• DONUT PRODUCTIONS. 2016. CBBC IDENT. [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=PGJUXKSHWO8. [ACCESSED 17
SEPTEMBER 2018].– IDENT 3
• Ident Gallery. 2015. Sky One : 2014-15 Idents The Muppets ident. [ONLINE] Available at:
https://theident.gallery/player.php?id=SKY1-2015-ID-MUPPETS-1. [Accessed 21 September 2018]
• Abram Grames, (1953), BBC batwing logo [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25168633 [Accessed 20
September 2018]
• BBC, (1969), BBC Mirror globe logo [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kgc80/p01kgf7p [Accessed
20 September 2018]
• BBC, (1985), BBC computer generated globe logo [ONLINE]. Available at:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01kgc80/p01kggft [Accessed 20 September 2018]
• BBC, (2006), BBC hippos [ONLINE]. Available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sshb/3186937437[Accessed 20 September 2018]