The document compares television idents for BBC1 and Movies 24. BBC1 idents feature groups of diverse people engaged in various activities to represent the channel's inclusive appeal to all audiences. Movies 24 idents depict intimate scenes of one or two people to set a relaxing tone for watching films at home. While BBC1 must consider stereotypes and appeal broadly, Movies 24's challenges involve making idents comforting on a small budget. Both opt for calm, slow-paced visuals and sound, though BBC1's logo is subtle while Movies 24 prominently displays its name. Overall, the BBC1 idents most successfully achieve their universal theme.

1. Looking into
Television Idents
Sydney Pooleman

2. • In essence the most core purpose of a television Ident is
to show the viewing audience the channels name
between shows so that it becomes ingrained in their
brains that the shows they like are on that channel.
• The basic premise of an Ident is to brand a TV channel
and intergrade its personality into each one to showcase
the brilliance and the appeal of the channel.
• Another job of the Ident is to appeal to the audience
which should help to draw them in and entice the
viewers attention and trap them in the channels air
space.
• A less important job of the Ident is to waist time and
separate out the broadcasting shows so it appears that
they run less adverts when they are inserting the
channels advert in.
TV
Purposes Q1
Microwave Popcorn
Glass ident (Orange)

3. Purposes Q2
• At the start, in 1927 TV's only came with one
channel called BBC, this meant that there was no
need to brand as there was literally only one
channel; BBC decided to upgrade their name to BBC
1 even though they are still the only channel, this
was to differentiate between the company and the
product.
• The 2nd ever channel started in 1955 when ITV
showed up and gave the viewers choices on what to
watch; with the new competition the BBC had to
think fast, so they started splitting the programs up
with Brand advertisement and pushing the BBC 1
name into the face anyone who was watching.
• When the 60’s came so did BBC 2, because BBC was
becoming over crowded and needed more space to
show everything; now the BBC had a TV brand and
this meant the 2 channels had to work together to
advertise what was going on with the other.
When We Had To Have More Channels Than One P1

4. Purposes Q2
• Jump forward to 1981 and the Channel Four
Television Corporation joins the part and claims the
4th channel (duh) and naming it Channel 4 (so
inventive) from the start they were an alternative to
the old school channels of yester year and this
meant that we got shows like The Simpsons;
Branding was now more important than ever
because the company's want their views so Idents
became big, officially showing the attitude of the
channels.
• In the 1980’s naming channels creatively didn't’t
seem to matter because here come Channel 5, the
biggest collection of shows that no one else wanted;
when it came to branding a Personality Channel 5
seemed to be lost and this meant their Idents were
a mash up of the others with no soul or individuality.
When We Had To Have More Channels Than One P2

5. Purposes Q2
• After these the on slaughter came!
• With BBC3 and BBC4 getting on air, ITV wanted more
so we got ITV 2 through to ITV4.
• Kids needed their own channels for full day
entertainment so CBBC and CITV were started
however later on the BBC decided that CBBC wasn't
appropriate for younger children so Cbeebies was
formed for that taking all the baby aimed shows
with it.
• Then Channel 4 wanted in and made E4; and all the
companies decided that incase you missed the first
showing +1 and More 4 were needed.
• News had its own channels with the BBC and ITV so
that we could be frequently updated on what's been
going on without bothering those who don’t care or
just want to watch the entertaining show
When We Had To Have More Channels Than One P3

6. Purposes Q2
• Other channels were set up out side the companies
that made the main 5 with channels including:
o Alibi
o Dave
o Drama
o Eden
o GOLD
o Good Food
o Home
o Really
o W
o Yesterday
When We Had To Have More Channels Than One P4

7. • As the expansion of TV channels and their purposes
expanded this resulted in competition, mainly to keep
people inside the brands airwaves instead of wandering
off to the other channels available.
• With the 3 main competitors in this being: The British
Broadcasting Corporation, ITV Network Limited, and
Channel Four Television Corporation; each of whom own a
litter of offspring channels some of which are more well
known than others.
• As shown left Channel Four Television Corporation owns at
least 6 channels with different purposes and shows, i.e.
Film 4 showing the films they have the rights to, and this
meant each one needed to be branded with a personality
that summed up what the channel did.
• Enter the Idents which not only summed
Companies And Their Need To Brand
Everything Individually
Purposes Q2

8. • BBC’s Idents in particular have had to evolve with the
times to keep people on their channel, and as they add
more channels they need to sell the whole collection of
‘The BBC’ and not each one.
• In the 80’s the Idents were lower quality and mainly just
the space out between the shows, this meant they
consisted of just having clips of shows that were coming
up, the current time or a nights schedule for the current
one you were on.
• They did this back in 1981 however it only showed the
events coming up on the singular channel they were on,
this was because there were only 3 or 4 channels on all
of TV; where as now the announcer says what is on
several of the channels relation to the one you are
currently on, to alert you to what you could be watching
if you stay on this company's airwaves.
Because They Now Have To Deal The Brand
As A Whole
Purposes Q2
65 Year later

9. • The BBC1 design as of January 1st 2017 is all about the
‘ONEness’ of the channel this has given the design a
inclusive style and has the Indent feature a varied
collection of people doing the same activity. This is a
different approach to the companies other channels such
as BBC4 which has the screen divided into 4 which just
reflects the channel number.
• The use of the range of people makes you relate to the
channel and feel like you are part of this ‘ONEness’; each
Indent has a different group of people that have a
different characteristic, the “Sea Swimmers, Clevedon”
Indent includes a bunch of older people playing in the
sea and the “Skaters, Southwark” Indent has younger
people. Doing this variety reflects the channels universal
appreciation.
The First Channel, Meaning It Had To Deliver
BBC1
Sea Swimmers, Clevedon
Skaters, Southwark

10. • On BBC2’s Idents are very in your face with the
channel number being the main image in the
whole thing, this is a clear mark of territory for
the channel and reflects the purpose of the
channel. As BBC2 is a varied channel, with
many of the shows being plucked from other
channels shows get put here if he have success
on lesser channels or if they failed on BBC, the
wide range of themes for the channel makes
sense; with some being education related and
others being fun; such as the 2 Idents
‘Predator’ and ‘Toy Car’.
• BBC2 is a BBC channel and so part of a whole
corporation, the Idents for the channel
represent this with references to popular BBC
owned shows; even if it is from a different
channel such as BBC1 like the ‘Exterminate’
Ident which is a reference to Dr Who.
The BBC Version Of Channel 5
BBC2
Toy Car
Predator
Exterminate

11. • The ITV logo is subtle and comes in using color tones
that are on screen, this means it isn't in your face and
makes the over all felling less crowded than others
such as True crime, FOX and Really; this implies the
channel is inclusive but still stands out, like the log, and
there for it extends the audience to be more inclusive
like BBC1.
• Like BBC1 these Idents have a few where it is a group
of people doing an activity, such as ‘Night Cyclists’
which has people cycling away from the camera in a
group, however there are some more obscure that
relate to sections of broadcasting directly; some
examples are ‘Line Marker’ Indent which relates to
sport and ‘A seasonal’ Indent which relates to weather
specifically shown on a day following bad weather. This
gives a more personal feeling to the channel as it
relates to the programing and not just to a whole
channel.
The Other BBC 1
ITV
Night Cyclists
Line Marker
A seasonal
channel's main
Charlee is one of only 300
female fire fighters in the UK Man (2)

12. • Channel 4’s new Idents releases for 2017 have 3 themed sets;
one set is the 'Clock Indents', which are 3 indents shown at
specific times each day and has the separate shapes form the
logo moving round clockwise. The set of Idents makes a more
systematic feeling to the channel and subconsciously makes the
channel feel more grown up; especially when one of them, '9pm
Clock', is the watershed marker with more mature programs
coming on after it’s display.
• Another set of Indents is the mineral/metal some of which are:
‘Red Crystals’ and 3 others; each has a full length and 2-3
shortened versions that show. The shapes of the rocks are
resemblance of the Channel 4 logo. This gives more of an
explorative feel to the channel and give the channel an identity
that is far different of that of ITV and BBC1; it makes the
audience more refined than them as well.
• There are also specific Idents for shows; ‘The Simpsons’, which
has yellow bricks and character styled eyes which move around
the screen, and formula one which has a tone of little versions
of the bricks moving fast speed around the screen in random
directions.
A Channel With A Different Approach
Channel 4
12 Noon Clock
Red Crystals
The Simpsons

13. • Channel 5 is a channel with that over the years
has had an identity crisis, this is reflected in their
Idents which are generally appear random, the
only real connection between them is the
appearance of 5 of the same thing which shows
up in every Ident without fail. Each of the Idents
starts with a landscape and ends on 5 items, this
is representation of the choice to watch Channel
5, with the landscape meaning the whole choice
range and the 5 items the channel. ‘Dogs’ is one
of the Idents in witch this allegory can be applied,
in fact the only one it cant be applied to is
‘Skateboarders’ as there isn't a landscape shot.
• The channel is shown as standing out in the from
the rest in a weird way; this is reflected in the
‘Birds’ Indent which has a Urban setting in which
5 parrots show up, which they wouldn’t really.
This gives the channel personality as it appears to
be a fish out of water with no real sense of
belonging.
The Garbage Dump Of Channels
Channel 5
Skateboarders
Dogs
Birds

14. – The BBC1 ident is a more based around the
ideas of being active and united and has people
of all ages, races and abilities which pushes the
ideas of standing together; this contrasts to
Movies 24 which is designed to have a more
homely and relaxing vibe which encourages the
idea of snuggling up with a movie and snacks.
– BBC1 features groups of people that have come
together to do one activity and it is a wide shot
that incases everyone; this is a reflection of the
Channels purpose which is to reach and appeal
to many people regardless of there gender,
background or age. Movies 24 is a set of close
ups of one person or thing, with slow sluggish
movements, this is a reflection of the channel
which only plays movies and so it stands to
reason that the Idents would be designed to be
relaxing for the watcher.
Visual Elements and Style
Comparing Idents
Break bumpers
Break bumpers
Bhangra Dancers
Sea Swimmers

15. – The biggest viewers of BBC1, according to
YouGOV profiles, are elderly women in
Yorkshire. The Idents for BBC1 appeal to this
main audience by showing that this age
range and gender are not constrained by the
stereo-types; the wider audience would be
appeased by these Idents as well because
they are so wide in range of those it includes.
– The audience that views Movies 24 most is
older women between 40 and 55, this is why
the domesticated Idents appeal to this
audience; the idea of getting settled on the
sofa and watching a movie in privacy in
comfortable style would be appealing to
anyone however this audience would
appreciate it more for the idea of spending
time with loved ones.
Audience
Comparing Idents
Movies 24 Audience according
to YouGOV profiles
Popcorn
BBC1 Audience according to
YouGOV profiles
Exercise Class, Avonmouth

16. – Money wouldn't be an issue for the BBC when
making Idents especially for the more popular
channels in their brand, such as BBC1; however as
BBC1 is a universally viewed channel the Ident
makers would be issues such as avoiding stereo-types
of age, gender or class to make it appeal to the
masses and also to the majority viewer. The makers
must do this with out being to ludicrous or gaudy.
– Movies 24 would have the challenge of make the
channel comforting and inviting through one 30-45
second ident that doesn’t overpower the message
and is relaxing to watch. Other challenges for the
channel would be budget, since it isn't a huge TV
channel compared to channels like Film 4 or SKY
Movies and funded/ owned by NBCUniversal who
have many channels in their home base country and
have this one as a side channel here in the UK.
Challenges
Comparing Idents
Movies 24 Audience according to YouGOV
profiles
BBC1 Audience according to YouGOV
profiles

17. – Both channels opted for Slow-moving/ sounding Idents
that project calmness and don’t over power the audience
with their sounds and images. In one ident there is a feel of
being Inclusive while the other is rather selected; the BBC1
ident has lots of people in contrast to Movies 24 which only
has around two people at a time who are clearly engaged in
activities with each other.
– Logos and writing are also different depending on the
channel. In the case of the BBC1 ident the writing is small
and comes quite small on the bottom of the screen which is
rather subtle where as in the Idents for Movies 24 the logo
appears over the action in an obvious way as well as when
there is writing over the top. This difference is more
significant because it shows that the BBC is well known
enough that they don’t have to push the name forward
however Movies 24 is less recognized and therefor has the
need to show case the name.
Characteristics
Comparing Idents
Birdwatchers, Rainham Marshes
Coffees

18. – I believe that it is the BBC1 Idents that
are the most success full however I
believe that the suit for Movies 24 is
well executed.
– The BBC1 Idents have a universal
theme with a range of actives and ages,
it shows that anyone can do anything
and it perpetuates the channels theme;
that the channel is for everyone.
– All the Movie 24 Idents have the
desired effect of a tone of warmth and
domestication; with Idents showing
two people making them appear more
intimate, this draws conclusions to
what the that the channel is about.
Success
Comparing Idents
Night Kayakers, Killyleagh
Snap
Mummy
Rain
Allotment
Holders,
Smethwick
Bog Snorkellers,
Llanwrtyd Wells