Christmas Idents Thread 2003

Talking of Christmas idents, who was it on the forum, who months ago said the ITV1 announcers will be sat on Widescreen TV's for a Christmas ident??
Was that proven to be BullS**t, or is no one still the wiser. Can anyone remember who said that??

Will BBC THREE and FOUR do any thing this year like last year? I think FOUR will do the same and have 'Bells' ringing on the idents. As for THREE, Well BBC Choice did a good effort last year, so I bet THREE have 1 or 2 blobs sat in falling snow talking a load of nonsense!

What about UTV? Last year, they had the Celebs but with the UTV logo in Snow. As they don’t use the celebs anymore, will they bother with a Christmas ident at all this year?? It’s very hard to make the frozen blue breakbumper ident Christmassy!!

I think it was Mike Stand who came up with that little gem.

Although it's not materialised as yet, I'd put it in the "more likely to be true than a wind-up" category.

If anyone from BBC Marketing/Presentation is reading, I'm begging you: Please DO NOT recycle any idents from previous years on BBC1/BBC2. Do what you have always done and give us something completely new for 2003.

Up to and including 2001, the BBC idents were one of few remaining guarantees about Christmas. When other channels couldn't be bothered with a festive ident some years, you knew there'd always be one on the first two channels.

BBC2 re-using the previous year's ident set a dangerous precedent. OK there was a new ident for 2002, but who's to say this trend of "adding" won't cross over to BBC1 and, after a few years, there won't be anything new at Christmas?

Please BBC, as a public service broadcaster and the inventor of festive idents, please keep the "one year, one Christmas ident" tradition of over 30 years.

Oh Simon that made me laugh - I am sure the BBC will take note of your plea.

Why don't you write and ask Santa as well? - maybe he can fill ya stocking accordingly

But really Simon, why should the BBC spend even £1 of licence fee money on a new christmas ident, and not use it again the following year? It's a waste. Looks like BBC2 will be using the previous two christmas idents, BBC1 will probably use only a new ident.

Laugh if you wish - I stand by the posting.

As to ideas for this year's idents, have a look at this classic:

http://www.tv-ark.org.uk/bbc1national/idents/bbc1xmas1980large.jpg

You've guessed it - a live action remake known as "Ice dance". Fits in brilliantly with current policy - rhythm and movement, Victorian skaters in red - a graphic designer's dream. The film could start with the skaters chucking snowballs playfully at each other, before taking their positions and whizzing round the snowman. They could also pair up and waltz.

Can't believe this hasn't already been thought of...

Tradition, for gawd's sake! That's part of what Christmas is all about. They didn't think twice about it before...

BBC 1 can't really recycle Christmas idents now anyway, considering they use real people. ANyway, they usually take a lot of care over Christmas pres considering they are in 16odd million people's homes.

I am only kidding!

I agree that festive idents are great - but a few years back Carlton had some great idents which they used for a couple of years. They looked and sounded impressive - so if they spent a fortune on them I suppose they thought why not use them again? Keeps those in charge of the pennies happy!

Does anybody who works at the BBC know what this years BBC ONE idents for christmas are going to be. are they going to be the same or have some ice skaters behind a red backdrop or something. :

Joy

You expect that sort of thing from commercial broadcasters (how many years has C4 had their Christmas ident now?) but not the BBC, funded by stealth taxation. Think of the cash available for Christmas programmes/Pres if they hadn't recomissioned Fame Academy!

Ah so part of Christmas is all about Festive Telly Idents eh?

I am only kidding <again>