ABC Television announced that its main channel will undergo a rebranding on July 20. The new on-air look will be bold, simple, raw and real.
ABC Television will celebrate Australians from across the country using footage created by regional communities, sourced from ABC Open’s rich library. In addition, new channel idents were shot and these shorts embrace real-life characters, including its on-air personalities.
“We’ve captured absolute gold using real-life Aussies in our idents,” said Diana Costantini, ABC Television Head of Marketing and Communications.
“This rebrand is about providing a stage and the magic comes from authenticity, diversity and a few damn fine yarns as told by colourful Australian characters.”
In a unique collaboration, iconic Australian band Hunters & Collectors has re-recorded their classic hit “Throw Your Arms Around Me”. The song will become the channel’s anthem.
The channel’s tagline will be ‘#ourABC’, emphasising the role it plays in all viewers’ lives – about inclusion, togetherness and connection.
The hashtag will encourage audiences to engage with ABC Television and allow the national broadcaster to collate, curate and share its contributions through a new online destination. The site will launch July 20 and highlight imagery, stories and fascinating anecdotes from around Australia.
On air, the ABC “worm” – one of the most recognisable logos in the country – will represent the channel. ABC TV is confident that audiences will instantly associate the “worm” with the ABC and that the “ABC” typography is no longer needed.
The channel name will also change, changing ABC1 into simply, ABC. An extensive qualitative research project earlier this year revealed that audiences say they watch the ABC rather than ABC1; the new name will therefore make perfect sense to its audience.
“Now more than ever, ABC Television needs to be relevant to all Australians and our new positioning and branding demonstrates the role of our main channel beautifully,” said Richard Finlayson, ABC Director of Television.
“ABC also acts as our gateway to more targeted content on ABC2, ABC4Kids, ABC3, ABC News 24 and increasingly ABC iview. There really is something for everyone on ABC Television – everywhere, every day.”
