BBC Two 2007 – 2018 Branding

At 10am on Sunday, February 18, 2007, BBC Two introduced a fresh set of 14 idents, superseding the previous yellow robots and featuring a revamped logo and colour scheme designed for both linear and digital platforms. Dubbed “Window on the World,” each ident reveals a unique perspective of reality as the camera zooms out to show the world viewed through the lens of the figure ‘2’. Despite earlier assurances from James Pestell, BBC Two’s Head of Marketing, that the iconic ‘2’ would remain unchanged, it underwent subtle modifications. To some, the alterations were inconsequential; to others, they bordered on sacrilege. Another polarising feature was the introduction of the “Tagging” 2s, which some critics likened to amateur camcorder footage.

Roly Keating, Controller of BBC Two, commented, “Our celebrated ‘2’ is among the most iconic brand images in British media. This newest iteration propels it into exciting new realms, encapsulating BBC Two’s unique blend of humour, creativity, playfulness, and surprise. Each ident is a finely crafted piece of filmmaking in its own right.”

James Pestell added, “AMV has executed a brilliantly simple yet endlessly versatile creative concept that encapsulates both the channel’s brand ethos and its multifaceted personality. We aimed to preserve the ‘2’s clever, witty, and mischievous character while ushering it into a new era. This rebrand reflects the channel’s evolutionary journey over the past five years.”

Paul Brazier, Creative Director at Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, noted, “Six months ago, we competed against three branding specialists to create something enduring and captivating for the nation. The result is a body of work we’re extremely proud of.” This rebrand was a milestone, as it marked the first time an advertising agency, Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, had won such a commission. The idents’ soundtracks were composed by Vince Pope from Beetroot, and produced by Red Bee Media’s John Golley, with direction from a team including Joanna Bailey, Michael Geoghegan, Marky, Ian Cross, and Stuart Hilton.

Notably, the “Window on the World” package didn’t stand the test of time; it was revised in 2009 and eventually phased out in 2014, reverting to the original ‘2’.

BBC Two Refresh 2009 – 2014

On October 1, 2008, BBC debuted a revamped ident at 6am, hinting at a potential overhaul in the channel’s presentation. This included the replacement of the teal box with a minimalist BBC logo. However, by the time the next programming junction came around, the new look had been abruptly shelved, and the existing presentation continued until 2009. On June 17, 2009, a set of revised idents were unveiled; notably, the BBC Two logo was relocated to the opposite side of the screen and only appeared at the beginning of each ident – with the exception of “Mirror.” Additionally, the “Chase” and “Cappuccino” idents were officially retired.

BBC Two 50 Years Idents 2014

BBC Two marked its 50th birthday with the debut of a whimsical ‘Fluffy 2’ ident on April 20, 2014. Starting April 26, this fluffy avatar became a regular feature as an ident. In a nostalgic twist, by July 2014 the channel decided to permanently reintroduce a curated selection of classic idents from the 1991-2001 era, sidelining the more recent “Window on the World” package. The rollout commenced on July 9 with the revival of the “Swan” and “Predator” idents. This was followed by the return of “Car” and “Dog” on July 23, “Duck” on July 26, “Kebab” and “Paint Pot” on July 27, and “Zapper” on August 7. Finally, the “Woodpecker” ident made its reappearance on August 11, 2014.

BBC Two Refresh 2015 – 2018

BBC Two persevered with its lineup of classic idents, albeit now framed within a teal box. The collection was also enriched with a few new additions: “Silk” was introduced on June 25, 2015, followed by “Optic” in February 2017, and “Garden” in March 2017.

BBC Two Clean Idents

BBC Two Special idents

BBC Two created numerous special idents, during this period for sport, programmes and events.

BBC Two Afternoon Classics 2013

Starting on October 7, 2013, BBC Two began airing classic programmes during its afternoon schedule. These nostalgic broadcasts were introduced using remastered versions of the channel’s iconic idents.

BBC Two Programme Promotions

In 2009 the presentation was given a minor refresh.

In September 2017, BBC Two introduced a new style of promo, while revising the current trailer with a larger font.

BBC Two Holding Slides

BBC Two Miscellaneous Items