CY
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
The red and purple wasn't the problem - the balloon idents could easily have continued with the red box in the corner.
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
MR
mr_vivian
The red and purple wasn't the problem - the balloon idents could easily have continued with the red box in the corner.
No I wasn't referring to the box colours at all. Read the post again.
Does anyone know the reason why she hated the balloons? Did she think the brand wasn't strong enought to tell the viewer what BBC1 was all about.
The balloon idents weren't identifying with the channel enough. The focus was on the balloon... she wanted the idents to reflect a diverse and vibrant BBC One. Hence why you see Bollywood Dancers *cringe*
I don't really believe they achieved diversity or vibrance. I think they basically wanted what itv have now... but with more dancing and less pug washing...
Last edited by mr_vivian on 1 December 2016 12:45am - 2 times in total
CH
No I wasn't referring to the box colours at all. Read the post again.
What are you referring to? The idents on BBC Two were yellow, not purple.
The red and purple wasn't the problem - the balloon idents could easily have continued with the red box in the corner.
No I wasn't referring to the box colours at all. Read the post again.
What are you referring to? The idents on BBC Two were yellow, not purple.
MR
mr_vivian
...Right... UM .... Well just in case anyone missed the news - the Christmas ident TX's at 9pm according to a lady that stars in it....
So tune in at 8:59pm to see if it's true.... I guess...
So tune in at 8:59pm to see if it's true.... I guess...
DO
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
They really weren't. There was always a clash between the balloon gently floating across some pretty countryside then going straight into a load of screaming, flashing lights and shouting at the start of TOTP.
The balloon, by its very nature, could only float gently around, unless you started throwing in loads of awful editing/cuts/crash zooms/time remapping, which would have got the wrath of the ident police for the same reason as the awful BBC2 tagging idents. The BBC1 controllers will only have needed to look as far as BBC2 to see what a difference a range of styles, speeds and tones can do to the channel presentation.
This isn't to say the dancers were the best option they could have gone for instead, but it was a change which overall improved the output.
The red and purple wasn't the problem - the balloon idents could easily have continued with the red box in the corner.
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
They really weren't. There was always a clash between the balloon gently floating across some pretty countryside then going straight into a load of screaming, flashing lights and shouting at the start of TOTP.
The balloon, by its very nature, could only float gently around, unless you started throwing in loads of awful editing/cuts/crash zooms/time remapping, which would have got the wrath of the ident police for the same reason as the awful BBC2 tagging idents. The BBC1 controllers will only have needed to look as far as BBC2 to see what a difference a range of styles, speeds and tones can do to the channel presentation.
This isn't to say the dancers were the best option they could have gone for instead, but it was a change which overall improved the output.
:-(
A former member
Those ben elton ident do highlight the lighter side. I wonder what could have been done if she expanded that concept.
NE
Looking at this selection of balloon idents, it's notable that while beautifully shot and (on some of them) creatively framed, one obvious reason they could have been seen as 'non-inclusive' was the number of them which were countryside outnumbered the more urban ones, which is not reflective of the country as a whiole.
(which doesn't stop me still loving the balloon idents)
(which doesn't stop me still loving the balloon idents)
GL
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
They really weren't. There was always a clash between the balloon gently floating across some pretty countryside then going straight into a load of screaming, flashing lights and shouting at the start of TOTP.
The balloon, by its very nature, could only float gently around, unless you started throwing in loads of awful editing/cuts/crash zooms/time remapping, which would have got the wrath of the ident police for the same reason as the awful BBC2 tagging idents. The BBC1 controllers will only have needed to look as far as BBC2 to see what a difference a range of styles, speeds and tones can do to the channel presentation.
This isn't to say the dancers were the best option they could have gone for instead, but it was a change which overall improved the output.
But surely you could argue that for every single ident from the 1960s onwards? A lot of the previous globe incarnations introduced some vibrant, flashy programmes and they did alright. Besides which, they did start producing faster cuts of the balloon as the years went on, and there were quite a good number of variations (Walking with Dinosaurs, Walking with Beasts, The Blue Planet, Euro 2000, Sydney 2000 Olympics, all the Christmas one...). And even if they were "slow" and distant", is that such a bad thing in an age when everything have to be so quick as to disorientate the viewer.
I never saw anything wrong with the balloon. To me, it marked the BBC at the peak of its creative power in terms of presentation, especially since Lambie-Nairn had a very clear and concise branding strategy to go with it and the other BBC channels. It should've at least carried on another few years, and I still prefer the centered logo at the bottom, not the boxes. They only became fashionable because someone at the BBC complained to Martin Lambie-Nairn about them not having a "proper" logo like "proper" channels, and Lambie-Nairn just put it in a red box to avoid any further issues.
The trouble was the onset of "people" idents which, by their very nature, date very quickly and just look tacky in my opinion, no matter what they're doing in them. Carlton started it on New Year's Day 1993, the only good thing being was the sheer amount of idents, but this has steadily increased into the soulless, bland, dull idents we see today on most channels: just people doing stuff with a logo randomly stuck on top.
The red and purple wasn't the problem - the balloon idents could easily have continued with the red box in the corner.
The balloons had far more flexibility than the dancers. It could be put in any situation, suit any theme and we're very inventive.
They really weren't. There was always a clash between the balloon gently floating across some pretty countryside then going straight into a load of screaming, flashing lights and shouting at the start of TOTP.
The balloon, by its very nature, could only float gently around, unless you started throwing in loads of awful editing/cuts/crash zooms/time remapping, which would have got the wrath of the ident police for the same reason as the awful BBC2 tagging idents. The BBC1 controllers will only have needed to look as far as BBC2 to see what a difference a range of styles, speeds and tones can do to the channel presentation.
This isn't to say the dancers were the best option they could have gone for instead, but it was a change which overall improved the output.
But surely you could argue that for every single ident from the 1960s onwards? A lot of the previous globe incarnations introduced some vibrant, flashy programmes and they did alright. Besides which, they did start producing faster cuts of the balloon as the years went on, and there were quite a good number of variations (Walking with Dinosaurs, Walking with Beasts, The Blue Planet, Euro 2000, Sydney 2000 Olympics, all the Christmas one...). And even if they were "slow" and distant", is that such a bad thing in an age when everything have to be so quick as to disorientate the viewer.
I never saw anything wrong with the balloon. To me, it marked the BBC at the peak of its creative power in terms of presentation, especially since Lambie-Nairn had a very clear and concise branding strategy to go with it and the other BBC channels. It should've at least carried on another few years, and I still prefer the centered logo at the bottom, not the boxes. They only became fashionable because someone at the BBC complained to Martin Lambie-Nairn about them not having a "proper" logo like "proper" channels, and Lambie-Nairn just put it in a red box to avoid any further issues.
The trouble was the onset of "people" idents which, by their very nature, date very quickly and just look tacky in my opinion, no matter what they're doing in them. Carlton started it on New Year's Day 1993, the only good thing being was the sheer amount of idents, but this has steadily increased into the soulless, bland, dull idents we see today on most channels: just people doing stuff with a logo randomly stuck on top.
WO
They were good for the 90s/early 2000s era and looked excellent on screen - but do look incredibly dated now and I really don't think they'd fit in with the programming that BBC One shows today.
Its all very well looking back and saying something should be ressurected but I don't think the balloon idents will really cut it today (even though I know the chap who flew the balloon in the filming).
BBC One is (supposed to be at least) the UK's flagship TV channel, it shouldn't be a) using idents that have been butchered about and are so tired on screen in the first place because they're past their screen-by date and b) bringing back idents from 15/16 years ago because they are apparently so cash strapped they can't afford new ones. I know there's more to TV than idents, but consistent contemporary branding in this day and age is crucial, BBC One's presentation is a right dogs dinner at the moment. Don't get me started on BBC Two!
Looking at this selection of balloon idents, it's notable that while beautifully shot and (on some of them) creatively framed, one obvious reason they could have been seen as 'non-inclusive' was the number of them which were countryside outnumbered the more urban ones, which is not reflective of the country as a whiole.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZI-dkd2cZA
(which doesn't stop me still loving the balloon idents)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZI-dkd2cZA
(which doesn't stop me still loving the balloon idents)
They were good for the 90s/early 2000s era and looked excellent on screen - but do look incredibly dated now and I really don't think they'd fit in with the programming that BBC One shows today.
Its all very well looking back and saying something should be ressurected but I don't think the balloon idents will really cut it today (even though I know the chap who flew the balloon in the filming).
BBC One is (supposed to be at least) the UK's flagship TV channel, it shouldn't be a) using idents that have been butchered about and are so tired on screen in the first place because they're past their screen-by date and b) bringing back idents from 15/16 years ago because they are apparently so cash strapped they can't afford new ones. I know there's more to TV than idents, but consistent contemporary branding in this day and age is crucial, BBC One's presentation is a right dogs dinner at the moment. Don't get me started on BBC Two!
Last edited by Worzel on 1 December 2016 5:34pm - 2 times in total
IS
They just look odd now. At the time they kinda made sense as a concept, there was a sort of logic to it. But all these years later there isn't. You can imagine the design meeting today:
It's a balloon.... yep fine.
It's floating over landmarks.... well yes that's what balloons do
It's got a globe pattern on it..... why?
The globe is red and orange....... er, right
It's a balloon.... yep fine.
It's floating over landmarks.... well yes that's what balloons do
It's got a globe pattern on it..... why?
The globe is red and orange....... er, right