[td1983]

It looks a bit naff, don't you think? The BBC have done it for years now, but theirs looks prestigious. The BBC are Britain's finest broadcasting institution, the very name-BBC-has an aura about it that no other broadcaster can match. Granted, ITV themselves are iconic, and have produced many of Britain's all-time great TV programmes themselves over the years, and still do, but not to the same extent the BBC are.

[GeorgeS]

Some one who clearly doesn't remember the 1970s and 80s on itv

[td1983]

DS forum bigotry still alive and well, I see...
So...what were those logos like, then?

[GeorgeS]

Originally Posted by td1983

DS forum bigotry still alive and well, I see...
So...what were those logos like, then?

Thames, LWT, Granada, Central, Yorkshire tv, and more.

It's been done for many years by itv before the BBC did it.

PS i will excuse your bigotry

[td1983]

You started it, my friend. My my, how passive-aggressive we are this morning.
Anyway, back on subject, I still don't think ITV's modern programming fits having the corporate logo splashed all over the start of it.

Just as the main channel shouldn't really have an onscreen logo-but that's another debate!

[GeorgeS]

Well you don't, others do. Such is life. Enjoy!

[td1983]

You're playing into my hands, George. Not winding you up at all, am I?
Oh and by the way, I'm putting this question out there because there has to be someone out there who also thinks it's a bit naff. This is a forum where healthy debate is engaged in, taking a philisophical stance over the matter is being too vague. But oh well. Enjoy!

[cyril-furr]

Imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

[GeorgeS]

Originally Posted by cyril-furr

Imitation the sincerest form of flattery?

Going back to their roots more like

[td1983]

George pointed out logos before that were actually regional logos ITV used to use on their programmes. I'm just old enough to remember them. Thing is, ITV have never had a national, corporate logo until now, as their focus these days is all about ITV the brand, rather than the regional identities they were once so famous for. Going back to their roots? We wish! The modern ITV is a rather odd channel, a diluted brand compared to what it was like in its heyday, which some of you will no doubt remember!

[Tassium]

Does it look like this?

http://i.imgur.com/MsMHMiE.jpg

[Jeeooorghhhbbb]

I think the OP is referring to the logos that appear during the opening credits - often when the programme's title appears - not the ident that appears before the show, which TV stations have been doing for years.

The reason they're there is because some brand marketing "expert" has decided that viewers like to know what channel they're watching their favourite shows on. They've based this decision on viewer feedback and market research. Apparently viewers always say "yes" when asked the question "Would you like a TV channel's logo plastered all over the place when watching a TV programme?"

[td1983]

THAT'S what I was referring to, thankyou! Annoying, isn't it? Not to mention pretentious, somewhat!

[degsyhufc]

Originally Posted by td1983

It looks a bit naff, don't you think? The BBC have done it for years now, but theirs looks prestigious. The BBC are Britain's finest broadcasting institution, the very name-BBC-has an aura about it that no other broadcaster can match. Granted, ITV themselves are iconic, and have produced many of Britain's all-time great TV programmes themselves over the years, and still do, but not to the same extent the BBC are.

Because the BBC do it?
I remember finding it a bit odd that the end credits for many ITV shows in the last few years were all the same using the same template.

It was a blue background with the credits scrolling and the ITV copyright and website address static at the bottom of the screen.
(I haven't seen it for a while so it may have been slightly different than that)

[TORPIDO 1]

itv are proudof the programme and it shows ownership ofthe programme and also shows that itv is synominous with the programmes in general as well as marketing and all of the other reasons why the bbc does it as well. sky do it between the logo ident thing and the programme beginning things like sky comedy come up on the screen rte also do it in ireland btw. overall brand synominity and awareness are the reason they all do it and it also gives the programme some gravitasd as well of course.

[TVPaulD]

Originally Posted by td1983

THAT'S what I was referring to, thankyou! Annoying, isn't it? Not to mention pretentious, somewhat!

No, it's not either of those things.

ITV is doing it because they are on a mission to increase the value of their brand, which took a hit from around the mid-2000s with the rise of reality shows and not helped by some cancellations of prestigious drama programming.

Currently, ITV is in the process of increasing their drama output once more (most notably with Downton Abbey and its significant international success) and they're understandably keen to ensure their corporate identity is strongly tied to this push for quality programming.

Putting their logo into the opening titles means that when people watch their shows on other platforms (such as Netflix for instance), they know it is an ITV show. This is the same rationale behind the ditching of the separate ITV Player brand identity (Since the January relaunch, ITV Player now uses the main corporate identity across all platforms).

This is all about strengthening the ITV brand to increase viewer loyalty. It's not pretentious at all, it's a mark of ITV's vision for the future.

[Cyclist]

If anyone knows about marketing it should be ITV. They hope that brand awareness will spill from one favoure show to others. I liked that show and this one is from the same people.

[ktla5]

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

Some one who clearly doesn't remember the 1970s and 80s on itv

I don't EVER recall DOG's on ITV programmes in the 70's and 80's, think we would have remembered THE SWEENEY with 'THAMES' in the corner! However Station idents, now that is a different kettle of fish !

[GeorgeS]

Originally Posted by ktla5

I don't EVER recall DOG's on ITV programmes in the 70's and 80's, think we would have remembered THE SWEENEY with 'THAMES' in the corner! However Station idents, now that is a different kettle of fish !

Remember when you'd get your local itv region ident followed by the programme makers ident. Wonderful stuff.

I do like the current itv image. It got a lot of knocking here before it was lauched by it seems to have gone down quite well.

[td1983]

Originally Posted by TVPaulD

No, it's not either of those things.

ITV is doing it because they are on a mission to increase the value of their brand, which took a hit from around the mid-2000s with the rise of reality shows and not helped by some cancellations of prestigious drama programming.

Currently, ITV is in the process of increasing their drama output once more (most notably with Downton Abbey and its significant international success) and they're understandably keen to ensure their corporate identity is strongly tied to this push for quality programming.

Putting their logo into the opening titles means that when people watch their shows on other platforms (such as Netflix for instance), they know it is an ITV show. This is the same rationale behind the ditching of the separate ITV Player brand identity (Since the January relaunch, ITV Player now uses the main corporate identity across all platforms).

This is all about strengthening the ITV brand to increase viewer loyalty. It's not pretentious at all, it's a mark of ITV's vision for the future.

You should get a job working for ITV's marketing department!

Seriously though, it sounds plausible. Such a pity that ITV are all about "ITV" the brand nowadays instead of their respective regional identities. I miss the old days of Tyne Tees in my region where I live. You only hear it on the news now!

[ktla5]

Of course with centralised announcements the regional flavour will not return, but even "Now on ITV Anglia" rather than just Now on ITV" would be nice, sadly could not be done with London :-(
'Now on ITV Thames' :-) or would that be insulting THAMES ?

[cody jarrett]

It's also there for when the shows are sold overseas, just like Desperate Housewives for example has ABC Studios during the opening credits, ITV get to shout their name at the start of their shows.

[wizzywick]

Originally Posted by GeorgeS

Remember when you'd get your local itv region ident followed by the programme makers ident. Wonderful stuff.

I do like the current itv image. It got a lot of knocking here before it was lauched by it seems to have gone down quite well.

George, you would think ITV's idents were good if they were a dog turd with flies buzzing around it. In honesty, ITV's idents are rather lacklustre and actually say nothing about what ITV is. But, thankfully, the majority of ITV's viewers probably couldn't care less!

[GeorgeS]

Originally Posted by wizzywick

George, you would think ITV's idents were good if they were a dog turd with flies buzzing around it. In honesty, ITV's idents are rather lacklustre and actually say nothing about what ITV is. But, thankfully, the majority of ITV's viewers probably couldn't care less!

Ok let me out it another way, they are better now than they have been for a long time. Not since the classic look of the late 80s- early 90s has it been bettered.

[Tassium]

TV is not baked beans or soft drinks, the idea that a TV channel can be branded with a sticky label has shown to be nonsense.

The sum total of programmes defines the channel, and it only takes one bad-apple programme to bring the whole thing down to that level. (Jeremy Kyle for example)

ITV may believe they can become a quality brand but every other attempt to do this has failed, and ITV didn't have wall-to-wall soaps last time.