E&P thinks outside DW-TV’s box

TV branding specialist English & Pockett has created an on-screen identity for German broadcaster DW-TV as it expands beyond its German roots.

The revamped look supports the channel’s recent name change from Deutsche Welle Television (its parent company) to the simpler DW-TV.

‘The corporate identity was changed a year ago to a more openly European rather than German name and the company wanted to bring the on-air look in line with the change,’ explains Danny Smit, creative director at English & Pockett. ‘The brief was about changing the perception of the German channel, to make it simpler and more colourful,’ he adds.

Twelve five-second identity sequences will be unveiled at the end of October, based around the corporate DW-TV logo and the square brand device, which were devised last year.

‘The blue square property wasn’t doing anything by itself,’ says Smit. ‘We created meaning around it and tied it back to the channel strapline – At the heart of Europe.’

In one execution the square becomes a window, through which European news can be viewed.

English & Pockett pitched against two German consultancies to secure the business. It has worked with DW-TV for the past six years and the latest work supports the channel’s expansion and repositioning as a Europe-focused news service.