Channel 4's Latest Rebrand Celebrates Immigration and Diversity in Brexit Britain
A Giant, Disruptive 4 Logo Is the Centerpiece of Ads Directed by Dougal Wilson
Editor's Pick
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 overtly celebrates immigration in its redesigned channel idents at a time when the topic is still controversial in a Britain undergoing Brexit talks.
The new films are directed by Blink's Dougal Wilson, the director behind several much-loved John Lewis ads as well as "We're the Superhumans" for Channel 4. They include one where a giant metallic "4" carries a group of immigrants over the sea like a giant raft to the white cliffs of Dover, where they disembark. Several of the men, women and children are dressed as doctors, businesspeople and contstruction workers. As they wave goodbye, the "4" honks like a ship to the tune of Channel 4's original mnemonic jingle. As a pro-immigration message, it couldn't be more overt.
In other films, the giant logo (created by MPC, which is responsible for the VFX) is portrayed as noisy, disruptive and rebellious, with a touch of humor. We see the giant 4 playing football with kids in a diverse street scene,running alongside Paralympic athletes racing in wheelchairs (and eventually giving up and collapsing as they outrun it) and, in another film, roaring his signature mnemonic call from the top of a hill in the British countryside.
Alice Tonge, head of 4Creative, says in a statement: "Our new idents couldn't be more Channel 4 -- they celebrate inclusion, diversity, youth and the channel's big noisy alternative voice."
Dougal Wilson adds: "I really enjoyed filming in different regions of Britain and hope the outcome isn't too perplexing."
Channel 4 last redesigned its idents in 2015 with a set of films by director Jonathan Glazer deconstructing the channel's original "4" logo, designed by Lambie Nairn in the 1980s, into nine "blocks."
As Britain negotiates to leave the EU and tighten its borders, Channel 4 is the latest U.K. brand to make an overt point about immigration in its marketing: earlier this month fashion brand Jigsaw ran a major outdoor campaign in central London with the tagline "Heart Immigration."
Credits
- Date
- Oct 31, 2017
- Brand :
- Channel 4
- Client :
- Channel 4
- Agency :
- 4Creative
- Chief Marketing and Communications Officer :
- Dan Brooke
- Head of Marketing :
- James Walker
- Deputy Head of Marketing :
- Laura Ward
- Executive Creative Director :
- Chris Bovill
- Executive Creative Director :
- John Allison
- Executive Creative Director :
- Alice Tonge
- Creative Director :
- Dan Watts
- Creative :
- Chris Bovill
- Creative :
- John Allison
- Creative :
- Dan Watts
- Creative :
- Dougal Wilson
- Executive Producer :
- Shananne Lane
- Head of Production :
- Clare Brown
- Business Director :
- Jane English
- Production Company :
- Blink Productions
- Director :
- Dougal Wilson
- Executive Producer :
- James Studholme
- Producer :
- Ewen Brown
- Production Manager :
- Lucy Jones
- Director, Photography :
- Daniel Landin
- Production Designer :
- Andy Kelly
- Sound Recordist :
- Michael Palmer
- Wardrobe Stylist :
- Rebecca Rich
- Editor :
- Joe Guest
- Post Production :
- Final Cut
- Visual Effects :
- MPC
- Creative Director :
- Diarmid Harrison-Murray
- Visual Effects Supervisor :
- Martino Madeddu
- Visual Effects Supervisor :
- Tom Harding
- Executive Producer :
- Julie Evans
- Visual Effects Producer :
- Julie Evans
- Grade :
- MPC
- Colorist :
- Jean-Clment Soret
- Mix and Sound Design :
- Anthony Moore
- Mix and Sound Design :
- Mark Hills
- Sound Design and Mix :
- Factory
- Audio Producer :
- Lou Allen
- Music Supervision :
- Siren
- Musician :
- Dougal Wilson
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