Channel 4 1982 – 1996 Branding

The award winning Channel Four identity was designed in 1982 by Robinson Lambie-Nairn. They won the initial pitch against Michael Peters and Wolf Olins. From their initial presentation Lambie-Nairn researched Channel Four’s philosophy and seized the fact that they would be buying all their programmes in, so Channel Four would be a patchwork. Their first idea was to illustrate the coming together of these elements. The first six ideas of ‘coming together’ all implied movement. One idea used the the colours of a television gun (RGB) and Channel Four liked the use of strong colour and agreed the ‘coming together’ theme should be emphasised and developed further.

Having created the logo, Lambie Nairn then used a computer to animate outlines of the blocks to the final freeze. The movements were then hand coloured and shot, but it didnt work, it was lacking shadow and lighting. So they decided to go to Los Angeles and Bo Gehring Aviation who specialised in computer animation to have differing sequences of the same basic symbol done entirely on computer, as at the time there was nowhere in the UK to go for this. The results were ground breaking, entertaining and a flawless piece of tv graphic design.

Here are the six main idents

Other continuity.

Christmas presentation.

1992 Refresh

In November 1992 the music for the idents was changed while the presentation was given a refresh.

From the spring 1995, Channel 4 introduced the grabbers, which were used as break bumpers and Idents.

Channel 4 In-Vision Continuity

Channel 4 Special Idents

A Selection of special idents used by Channel 4.

Channel 4 Nightime

Channel 4 Programme Promotions

A selection of promotions used by Channel 4.

From November 1992 the presentation style was altered.

Channel 4 Holding Slides

Examples of Channel 4’s original holding slides which were photographic slides…

Further examples of Channel 4 holdings slides

By 1987 the holding slides were made electronically with a Quantel Paintbox

Further examples of Channel 4 holding slides

A new layout introduced in the early 1993

Another style of holding slides by early 1996.

Channel 4 Miscellaneous Items

Who remembers the early days of Channel 4? This is what happened when the ITV station selling the advertising space, err couldn’t! So instead a treat for all you music fans … Last clip – later in the same year no ads at all on C4 because of an actors dispute between Equity and the IBA.

When industrial disputes lead to strike action: