Which is the best BBC logo?

Hi all,

Which of these do you think is the best?



Top left: The first 'Blocks' logo with italicised lettering, used from 1958 to 1963.
Top right: The first slanted logo used from 1963 to 1971.
Middle left: The rounded off logo that lasted from 1971 until 1988.
Middle right: The slanted logo that lasted from 1988 until 1997.
Bottom: The current BBC logo (1997-).

Technically speaking, for sheer convenience and effectiveness, the 1997 logo.

Personally, despite its flaws, I have a soft spot for the 1988 logo, mainly thanks to a combination of childhood memories and it's frankly terrifying uses in places.

Such as this?

'88 for me, probably for nostalgia's sake more than anything. Others may disagree, but I think it looks better than the current logo when stood alone.

I don't think any of them are the "best", although the least attractive is the first design with the straight boxes but italicised letters. I think it's more of a nostalgic thing, depending on which era you grew up with. In terms of technical design the 1997 logo is the best of course, and 1988 the worst.

The bain of my life as a kid. Watching a BBC VHS terrified me for years because of this one thing and if I'm honest... it still terrifies now.

(I haven't actually watched the Youtube video because it's so damn scary but I'm sure it is of said nightmare inducing video sting.)

Did I miss the memo on this when I was a kid? Because I watched those Wallace and Gromit videos many, many times (to the point where they started to deteroriate at the beginning) and it never scared me. But if you believe people on those YouTube comments, it's the most terrifying thing ever created.

Just try putting in a VHS of such a happy and innocent kid show like Pingu or Wallace and Gromitt, and being treated to THIS thing before the feature presentation can be quite terrifying for a child. First off, the logo has a dark and gritty feel to it (the background mainly sets the tone). Second the music is real depressing. It has a funeral-like feeling to it, especially the ending note.

Does anyone remember this? I have no recollection whatsoever.

The correct version is here:

It's not the cheeriest of animations but it never scared me... it doesn't now either. It was just an ident to me. Not sure what's so frightening about it.


I always liked this one, mainly because of the music, but also because at the end it would animate in reverse.

Don't remember any of those. I remember the slanted logo with the standard sombre piano tune and that's about it. Not BBC but on Youtube I recently chanced upon this Video Collection ident which I'd long forgotten about...



I definitely had one VHS cassette with that on, though I can't be sure of what programme was on the tape.

Back to the original topic. the current BBC logo beats all the others by miles. It's been in service for the best part of two decades now (a frightening realisation) and I'm quite confident it will still be here in another couple from now.