How to cut C4

Mediaworks decided that the network needed a change, shift in programming has and is happening on its channels. TV3 will now have a similar focus to TVNZ's TVone and the programming that seemed more like TVNZ's '2' will be moved to a new channel called Four (that will keep the space of the existing C4). C4TV will continue, but as a purely music tv channel appearing on Freeview channel 9.
Launch last Sunday (6th February), which featured advertising with a large yellow rubber ducky (I can't get over the eyes, the light source doesn't make sense.

The new logo and brand extension are reminiscent of recent changes to Comedy Central in the US. I quite enjoy the new look of Four, but all I want is Mr Stewart and Mr Colbert back on New Zealand TV. If Four does this, then I will be very happy. (Still don't understand Comedy Central removing it from programming.

Lighter, Thiner and less wheaty

After enjoying the Weet-bix advertisement featuring kids skiing, skating, biking down hill, I noticed a change away from the familiar. Sanitarium had changed to a new logo.

Warm summer days so can't be too bothered going into too much detail... maybe when it rains I'll write something else. Also, had this in draft for about 2-3months.

2 to 5

The two dollar shop — not to be confused with the shop formerly known as Just $2 (now Just Incredible) — has recently undergone a change in prices, therefore a need for a identity change.

So the addition of $5 dollar products, creates a need to create a logo with the two numbers. I think the mark is quite successful and I assume, with out actually visiting a store, that products would be marked with the colour that responds to the price — ie blue for $2 & orange for $5. The addition of the old mark (also an altered $5 one) seems unnecessary though, but hopefully that will be removed later on.

2n'5 Dunedin Grand Opening - 11 September 2010. Photo courtesy of Radio Network.

Garden of Eden

Eden Park is main sporting stadium in its biggest city in New Zealand, Auckland. The stadium also has the largest capacity in here too and will host the Rugby World Cup final and Semi finals in 2011.

Rather than regurgitating information, I suggest reading this post from Idealog's Design Daily. Also, Eden Parks press release.

Now down to the logo, the design was done by Auckland based studio Lemonade Design. A design trend that some designers now cringe about, is the overuse of Hoefler & Jones' Gotham. I am still a fan of the typeface and seeing as Auckland could be considered New Zealand's Gotham City there could be a connection there, although we don't have the terminal building which was the inspiration. Anyway, I enjoy the change away from the overly slanted Avant Garde-ish type even if the difference in weights of Gotham is a bit distracting.

DINZ 3.0

Over a year ago I covered the change of the DINZ logo. This year another change, the new logo has featured in DINZ events and in the advertisements for Pro/Design, although website is still sporting the old....

More info to follow.

The Stars are back

Two years ago BNZ changed from its Colin Simon designed logo to the one above labeled 'old'. That previous change was covered in a few places UnderConsideration having a good review and some good opinion. It was also covered on Design Assembly with added new points of view over the recent change. Again the redesign was handled by DNA. More information can be found here on the press release.

At first glance I feel it is a nice change. The four star southern cross is uniquely New Zealand. The word-mark retains it bubbly friendliness, while refining the edges to be more square.
The above word-mark is an alternative logo drawn by Kris Sowersby. It is " an optically corrected ’sloped Roman’ based directly on Serrano". Serrano — the font that is used by BNZ on all its collateral — also designed Sowersby.

Supe Doope

The SANZAR annual rugby competition has changed numbers from 10, 12, 14 and now — for the 2011 season — to 15. So finally someone decided to change the name to move away from the amount of teams in the competition. The use of numbers as a competitions name is only really seen in NCAA College sports in the US and that also has had some unique design problems (Big 10 having 11 now 12 teams).

Before I get into the logo design, the logo itself has to be able to work as a patch on a playing jersey, as logo on related ephemera and have room above to connect with each countries competition sponsor, like the previous. Which was designed by Australian studio Coast Design.

I was never a fan of the name Super 12 or 14, but Super Rugby seems worse at this current time. Colloquially — Super 15 is being used — so maybe the number of teams helps people remember the number of teams and connect it more with the history.

Now onto the logo design, there is not really a comparison between the new and the old. They seem 'worlds apart'. The Previous logo packed in everything; a rugby ball, the countries in the hemisphere the number 14 in your face twice all into a round emblem, that seemed like overkill. The new is clean and clear with a strong image. And at a time when sports logos seem to get the whole 9 yards (3D effect, shadows), the minimal design is a nice change.

The biggest let down is the type, the condensed Gothic characters are a good solid choice, but the application of these characters is were it goes wrong. The dropping of one 'R' in favour of enlarging the remaining, is not a choice that reads well. The changing of scale also confuses legibility.

But overall I like the logo change I probably could do without the gradient, but I imagine it just being the symbol on the sleeve of a red and black jersey with Richie lifting his ever tired trophy wielding arms. ;)