Making a marque

UK – Channel 4 has introduced its latest rebranding that puts its iconic logo at the centre of the story.

• The television channel still wasn’t ready to say goodbye to its iconic Lambie-Nairn-designed puzzle logo
• Graphic designer Neville Brody designed typefaces Horseferry and Chadwick to go with the refreshed graphics

The latest brand identity might be the boldest yet, as Channel 4’s in-house creative agency 4Creative and creative agency DBLG explore the fictional origins of its logo in a four-part series of abstract and cinematic idents.

‘We went back to the start, back to the iconic Lambie-Nairn 4… and we broke it apart. It was incredibly liberating,’ explains 4Creative’s Chris Boville and John Allison.

Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the idents portray the blocks that make up the 4 logo as naturally occurring, ‘Kryptonite-like’ minerals, discovered in remote locations around the world and taken to secretive labs to be examined further.

The Big Picture: Speaking to LS:N Global at our recent Anti-authenticity Marketing Network Evening, acclaimed digital designer Thomas Eberwein explained why brands must learn to have more fun with their history.