New CBBC identity “doesn’t scream children’s TV”

The new look has been designed by Red Bee Media and aims to be “bright, mischievous and sophisticated”.

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BBC children’s TV network CBBC has unveiled a new look, which has been designed by Red Bee Media and aims to be “bright, mischievous and sophisticated”.

CBBC controller Cheryl Taylor says the new identity “doesn’t scream ‘children’s TV’”, adding “its various iterations are fun and unpredictable and have broad appeal”.

The new multi-coloured identity replaces a white, black and green logo that has been in use since 2007. Taylor says: “Our old logo just wasn’t devised to perform in a variety of digital spaces which means that it doesn’t work in the way that we want it to today.”

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She adds: “We are now the proud owners of a versatile and dynamic logo which works in every space and is designed to appeal to both ends of our broad age spectrum [of 6-12-year-olds].”

Taylor says CBBC looked to engage its audience in the development of the new identity and also in the look of the new CBBC studio set, or CBBC Office, which has been renamed “CBBC HQ”, based on viewer feedback.

Taylor says: “We asked hundreds of kids how they’d like to rename the Office as we wanted them to own and feel part of our rebrand moment.”

CBBC is also launching a series of new idents which, Taylor says, reflect “the well-known grooves of everyday life – like walking to school with your friends or enjoying a sleepover – but with an added sprinkle of special CBBC ‘Just Imagine’ stardust”.

The CBBC rebrand follows the new identity for online-only channel BBC Three, which was also designed by Red Bee Media and was unveiled in January.

Discover more:

BBC Three “takes inspiration” from spoof show W1A in rebrand

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Comments
  • George Kay March 14, 2016 at 9:48 pm

    To be honest, I don’t mind the ‘C’ and I admire RBM for not playing it too safe but who on earth did the positioning of the BBC logo?!

    • George Kay March 14, 2016 at 9:50 pm

      Oops, I meant to type I don’t mind the ‘CBBC’

  • Benjamin Green March 15, 2016 at 10:24 am

    I agree George – the new CBBC mark is ace (bright/colourful/app-ready/not ‘kiddy-fied’ – but the relationship with the ‘BBC’ mark doesn’t really work as they have it…

  • Mike Dempsey March 15, 2016 at 10:29 am

    Little better than the original. Where is Martin Lamie-Nairn when you need him – desperately?

  • D Conran March 15, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    “We are now the proud owners of a versatile and dynamic logo…”
    which is then mostly constrained in a BBC shackled box!?!

  • Jessica Jenkins March 15, 2016 at 1:53 pm

    How does this one work better in a variety of digital spaces? Poor journalism just repeating what has been said without any explanation or critique. Is it because it has separate parts that can jump around? Agree, the box around with BBC stuck in the corner is a disaster… stops the bits jumping around. I don’t follow the logic of the colours either. Doesn’t anyone learn how to use colour in design school? Such a nice job to do and such an odd solution.

  • Chris woolnough March 15, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    Why are commercial brands using geometric shapes to modernise their existing brand? The original CBB’s identity even though it was just a simple basic palette of green and black it still utilises a sense of playfulness and child like mischiviousness the way the letterforms are positioned. It must be the all new trend to go geometric and abstract. I still can’t get over the 2012 London Olympic monstrosity. I like the bold new vibrant colour scheme however, the shapes loses the child like nature especially the B’s are a bit too obscure for my liking. People may disagree with me I believe it could of been approached more light heartedly instead of creating a rigid abstract look. No doubt they’ve invested millions :/

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