The document discusses television idents, which are short advertisements that identify the channel. It describes what idents are used for, such as creating brand identity and intriguing audiences. It provides examples of idents from channels like BBC, Channel 4, and Cartoon Network. These idents showcase themes, logos, sounds and images tailored to each channel's target audience. The document also discusses conventions, marketing opportunities, and how idents appeal to different audiences through distinctive features.

1. Unit 32 Designing idents for
Television LO1 and LO2
Researching idents for channel 4

2. What is an ident?
An ident is an advertisement which reminds the viewer of the show before
it starts. It is also is used to help identify the channel as it is brand
identity. Idents sometimes include a specific logo or sometimes show
programs on this specific channel or give information through a voiceover.
An ident also is used to help identify which audience the specific channel
targets. A suite of an ident is usually several different idents which all
have a similar theme that links the together. The purpose of a suite ident
is to help maintain brand identity it is also used to interest the different
audiences. An ident often creates identity through a reparative use of
logos. These are often similar in each ident, even if the style or theme of
the ident is different, the logo is often kept the same. For example BBC 2
have a repetitive use of the number ‘2’ within there idents.

3. What idents are used for
Idents are used for things such as: creating brand identity, intrigue
different audiences, to show what the channel stands for, identify
the channel, organising the schedule, brand loyalty, marketing
opportunity's and to link to the different seasons. Idents are useful
for these things as they are able to advertise for a short amount of
time which is useful for channels with no adverts, they are also
informative as some will use a voiceover to state what program is
on next. They help to identify there logo so it becomes known and
recognisable to viewers, this helps lead to loyalty from other
viewers.

4. Ident suite themes
These are examples of suite themes from BBC1 . They all have a theme to them
which is the circle around the logo. These often change due to the different
seasons and different events going on in the year. These suite theme images all
have the same theme which is the circle theme. Suite themes are important as
they can sometimes use different ones depending on the time of day. They can
also be used to identify the upcoming programs. They also ensure continuity
and the ability to reach out to the target audiences.

5. Conventions
A convention is what we expect to see in the ident. These are
needed as they are what often attract the viewers and audiences to
the specific channel or object they are advertising for. These are
also an expectation from the audiences, without the conventions
the ident would seem boring and pointless as it wouldn’t be
informative or have anything useful on the ident without the
specific conventions. The different conventions also set the
channels identity through the conventions as there are often
specific images or sounds which relate to these channels and
programs.

6. Conventional features of an ident
In an ident there are many things which we expect from them:
sound, logos, images/moving images, something which specifically
represents the channel, channel numbers, themes and
approximately same length. These are all needed as they often set
the identity of the channel, they help us to understand what the
channel represents and stands for. For example we know a channel
is for children due to the bright colours which we expect to see and
often childish and informal fonts and sometimes little characters
included. For example CBeebies idents include bright colours and
little character in there ident. Some also use featured programs.

7. BBC Two ident
The BBC Two car ident is a rather bright and colourful ident for this
channel. It seems to represent travel, this could link back to the channel
as it would often take us different places through the programs which are
played on this channel. The BBC Two idents often change but still keeping
there same logo all the time. The ‘2’ is how we identify this channel as
being BBC Two. I have noticed in many of the BBC Two idents they will
often use them to represent seeing the world or some form of travel as it
seems to represent what the channel stands for. This car ident is a lot
more informal then BBC Twos usual types of idents as it has a little two
which is like a car driving around which is making the sounds of a remote
control sound. There is a little bit of peaceful music in the background
which links to the target audience of an older audience. There is also a
voice over which explains the next few channels which will be coming on.
This is regularly known to happen on BBC channels so that they can inform
the viewers of what will be coming on as they do not have adverts,
instead they just have idents.

8. Channel 4 ident
The channel 4 idents are often know for using the different and interesting
locations for some of there idents. Usually they change the angle of the
camera which is facing the location which then starts to show a ‘4’ to
represent the channel. The Diner ident is one of the many interesting
locations which has been used. The sound in these ident is music but there
are also a few sound effects based on the location which the ident is
taking place. We here music which is suited for the location of the ident.
The sound effects we here are the wind as it blows the tumbleweed across
the front of the diner. This creates a bit of a western feel to the ident. We
here the tumbleweed as it brushes past the front of the camera. This ident
also has the logo used in the channel 4 idents. This helps us to identify the
channel. A lot of the channel idents have this sort of theme to them but
are shown differently, this shows that they use suite themes amongst some
of there idents. In this ident there is a mixture of dark and bright colours,
the dark and dull colours help to make the bright colours stand out a lot in
the ident, this creates it to be more eye-catching and intriguing for
viewers. This ident is informal and seems to target a slightly older
audience.

9. ITV ident
The ITV ident is a seasonal ident as this one in particular is based around
winter time, we know this as there is Santa's in this ident which often
represents Christmas and Christmas is during the winter time so we know
which season it is representing. This helps to intrigue people as it fits into the
atmosphere of the current season, for example people will have Christmas
decorations so it would match the atmosphere if the ident is Christmas
themed. This ident is informal as it shows a theme park ride filled with
people dressed as Santa, this shows it is fun and also entertaining. This
channel is for an audience starting around late teens onwards. This ident
includes a jolly Christmassy sounding music in the background which also links
to the seasonal theme. The ident also includes a voiceover which announces
the channels which are on next. We can tell the audience as well through the
voiceover as the programs which it announces are there for entertainment
purposes and are also ‘trashy’ TV. There are a lot of bright and happy colours
in this ident which really stand out a lot. This is eyecatching to the audeinces
and makes them want to know more of what this channel holds. There is alos
the logo which is shown throughout the ident so that the channel can be
easisly identified by the viewers.

10. Cartoon Network ident
This is a Cartoon Network ident, we can instantly tell that the target
audience for this channel is children as it shows one of the programs
from the channel which we can see is very colourful and childlike. The
music in the background is also the theme song of the program and we
can here the characters in the ident cheering as well at one point. This
ident is informal as it is a channel for childish cartoons which are there
for entertainment. This ident is also being used for marketing
opportunities as it is showing a program which is shown on the channel
so that the viewers who see this ident might decide they want to watch
that program as the ident has shown them a little preview of what it is
like. At the end of the ident we see the logo appear which is used
regularly. The logo colours are very basic but they are bubble type text
and had the characters from the TV show which this ident has included,
in the logo for some parts of it. They have used the idea of marketing
for this ident as it is very effective to get people watching the programs
more and then it also helps for people to identify what this channel is
about and the sort of programs which it will show when watching it.
This is helpful for viewers as what they need to know is shown in the
ident.

11. The choices made by each channel
Each channel make there idents individual and specific to there channel
itself so they can show what sort of content is going to be shown on that
program. They also show which audiences they are trying to target
towards through the idents made. They also try to keep each ident
individual by regularly coming up with different and unique ideas for the
channel. Each channel make there idents different and try and keep there
logos, themes and styles different from one and other. The BBC have
multiple channels and they still managed to keep each of there individual
idents very different from one and other as each of there channels are for
different audiences so they show the differences through the styles and
colours but also through whether it is formal or informal.

12. Marketing opportunities
This is a Cartoon network ident
where they have used a marketing
opportunities as they have shown
one of there channels in the ident.
This is good way to advertise a
program on the channel while also
advertising for the channel itself.
On this channel some of the times
they will use the ident of the
program which is being played next
so we are aware of the program
which will be coming on next.
This ident is for BBC One, this ident
uses the marketing opportunities by
showing an ident which includes
one of there soaps which is played
on this channel. BBC One also uses
there idents to show the running
schedule, they do this through a
voiceover which announces the
upcoming programs and also
explain a little bit of what has
happened previously or what the
episode is about, this is helpful to
prepare the viewers for the
program.
This ident is for Channel 4. This
ident shows one of the popular
programs from there channel in this
ident. This shows the marketing
opportunity as they are using the
program to advertise the channel
while advertising the program. It
also helps to set what type of
channels we will see on this
program and also possibly what
might be on next on this channel.
This helps to set the schedule and
advertise the programs.

13. Target audiences and brand loyalty
The different idents appeal to the different and specific audiences by showing
specific features which stand out and are more relatable to specific audiences.
They do this by using different text, images, sounds, colours and programs. These
can also be used to set the brand identity with the use of logos as well. Examples
of how idents appeal to target audiences are, on channels like Cbeebies they
show a lot of colour in the program which stands out and represents that it is for a
younger audience. Whereas channels like BBC Two show that they target an older
audience through showing a more mature ident which has slightly duller colours
and a more basic image shown on the screen for the ident. The channels to help
stick to brand loyalty will often do that by keeping the same logo which is shown
within most there idents, this way people are aware of the brand and learn to
know that channel by the logo as they become more memorable. BBC has multiple
channels all targeted at different audiences they target each audiences in
different ways by making each channel different and base it around the types of
programs which they will often show. They also show the regular logos for each of
there channels.

14. The limitations of idents
There are often some negatives when using idents as a form of advertisement as there is a
lot of limitations which come along with it. An ident is often kept short and simple so it
can sometimes be hard to be able to fit all the information which is needed into the short
space of time. This can cause some restrictions on what can be shown and said on the
ident. Also with idents they are often changed regularly, sometimes due to the change in
seasons and also to relate to programs which are currently being played. This can cause
problems as you will regularly be needing to come up with new ideas for the idents. There
are also chances that the idents can also create spoilers for the viewers as some of the
voiceovers will give some detail of the program which is on next, this can create spoiler.
Each ident also has to be made to be eye catching and individual with sometimes can be
difficult to do due to the short amount of time for the idents. Idents do not have funding
either whereas advertisement does make money for the channel. This can make the ident
be seen as a waist of time because the main purpose of the ident is to make the channel
easily identified which can also become a problem if there is a change in logo or a drastic
change in colours used, this can confuse the viewers.