TV companies’ rival channels

Rival design plans for two mooted TV entertainment channels are emerging from Channel 4 and the BBC.

Channel 4 is still awaiting the final go-ahead for its digital entertainment channel E4 before awarding a branding contract. Meanwhile, the BBC, reported to be rebranding and repositioning BBC Choice as BBC3, officially denies it has plans to do so.

E4 head of marketing Dan Brooke expects there to be a pitch to choose design and branding consultancies as soon as the financial go ahead for the project is agreed in the next few months.

Brooke says: “I think we can expect all of those things to happen when we get the go ahead. At the moment the channel is going through the final stages of the green light process.”

Channel 4 incumbent consultancy Static 2358 has already worked on the initial conception and presentation for E4. Brooke expects to have determined a plan of action by next month.

The altogether less certain BBC 3 is reported to be launching as an entertainment channel this summer, seeking a more mainstream target audience than BBC Choice.

“There are no confirmed plans to rebrand BBC Choice as BBC 3, and we have not employed a consultancy. We will announce it as soon as it is confirmed,” says a BBC Choice spokeswoman.

If the plan goes ahead, the task of rebranding BBC Choice is likely to be awarded to BBC incumbent branding consultancy and screen specialist Lambie-Nairn, part of WPP Group’s The Brand Union. The consultancy declines to comment on whether it is involved on the project.