BTV Story
Channel Rebrand
Creating a daily portal to thrilling narratives.
Brand & Consumer Analysis + Brand Strategy + Naming + Brand Communication + Tone of Voice + Visual Identity + Motion Branding
Industry:
Media
Year:
2023
For years, the channel had targeted women through its feminine branding and communication. They wanted to move away from this and reach the whole family. As well as boosting their male audience. To achieve their goal, they needed a new name, look, and a campaign to follow suit.
Brand Strategy
A comprehensive analysis of BTV Lady's viewership data revealed significant challenges. Viewers perceived the channel as a destination for older women, with a 90/10 split of women to men. Its pink colors and slogans like "More for Her" targeted women with a feminine brand. These factors, plus a lack of loyalty to TV slots, led to a decision for a complete rebranding. The channel wanted a more inclusive, engaging brand. It should resonate with a wider demographic, especially families, men, and younger viewers. They wanted their branding and content to work together. It should show the channel as the "home of family fiction."
We began by getting to know the bTV Lady audience. We wanted to reach new audiences. But we also wanted to keep our current viewers due to the new look and messaging. We looked for patterns in the different demographics the channel wanted to reach. We sought overlapping needs and pain points.
We identified families as the primary target audience. The secondary was single men and women aged 35-40 and young adults aged 18-34. The research found that fans of similar channels crave a break from their daily lives. They seek a mix of drama, thrills, and sometimes comfort. The brand must evoke escapism and emotional connection through diverse programming. The new brand aimed to connect with viewers. It stressed values like family, community, and entertainment. This desire for excitement in their daily lives became the core brand essence.
Naming
Storytelling is a natural human practice, dating back centuries. We weave it into the very fabric of our being. It's a powerful tool for sharing experiences and ideas. It fits the channel's goal of exciting everyday life. It also aims to connect with viewers through captivating stories.
Thus, the new name became BTV Story. It met all the criteria: it was memorable, appealing, and clear. It also connected to the brand's core. The tagline to supplement the name was again in sync with the strategic positioning and messaging: "Emotions Worth Sharing".
Visual Identity
The channel’s program offers a variety of TV series that tell stories from all around the world. Writers create stories from a mix of experiences. They intersect in different segments and viewpoints. The visual identity needs to capture this complexity in its own unique way.
The logo must balance with the media group's symbol. It should also stand out among the other channels in the media family. So, for the logotype, we explored the concept of segmentation and point of view. This concept gave us the basis to build the channel's visuals. Different fragments create a bigger narrative.
The tagline "Emotions Worth Sharing" speaks to our feelings. It highlights how connections impact them. Capturing the two ends of a full spectrum, we chose a bright orange and a serene blue. Like colors, emotions also have nuances. To enhance this feeling, we created a system of complex gradients that merges the two colors.
We chose the clean, compact Apparat by Lettersoup as our primary typeface. It has Bulgarian Cyrillic and supports narrow composition.
Motion Branding
We wanted a visual language that immerses viewers in storytelling. We layered the main components step by step: the grid, color, and typography. This created a fluid canvas for the video and photo content. We developed and animated 3D glass prisms. They showed the feeling of seeing through different perspectives. This enhanced a multidimensional feeling.
The end result was a dynamic visual approach that conveys the depth and range that are inherent in TV drama series.
“Just a month after its debut, bTV Story, the newest channel in the bTV Media Group portfolio, has achieved exceptional success and is ahead of its niche competitors.”
Galina Djoreva
Communications Manager at bTV Media Group
Launch & Communication
The new communication from the channel aimed to foster a sense of community and shared experiences among viewers. This is why the tone of voice was warm and inviting, reflecting the channel's desire to connect with its audience on a personal level. And once welcomed, the variety of shows and tangled storylines aimed to keep audiences thrilled and enticed - to keep them wanting more. This tone supported the key messaging well, since the messaging focused on understanding and entertaining viewers.
With our launch campaign we wanted to introduce the new brand identity, but also strengthen the connection with the audience. By encouraging viewers to share their thoughts and feelings about their favorite shows, we not only celebrated the passion of its loyal fanbase, but also created a two-way communication that is rarely seen with this type of media. The slogan “Tell us about your favorite show. We promise to quote you” encapsulated this approach, inviting viewers to become active participants.
Impact
Our rebranding efforts, including the brand strategy, visual identity and launch campaign, yielded impressive results. The channel significantly expanded its audience and market share, notably attracting a larger male viewership. These results demonstrate the power of a well-executed rebranding to revitalize a brand, attract new audiences, and ultimately drive growth.
Credits:
Naming: FourPlus Studio
Creative Direction: Pavel Pavlov / Ivaylo Nedkov
Brand Strategy: Desislava Gerasimova
Graphic Design: Ivaylo Nedkov / Tsvetislava Koleva
Animation: Pavel Pavlov / Nani Gavadinova / Jelio Dimitrov
Client Service: Vera Schwartz / Venelina Miteva
Audio: Daniel Ivanov
BTV Media Group team /
Creative Director: Valentin Iliev
Director Marketing and Corporate Communications: Janeta Diadovska
Senior Brand Manager: Viktoriya Barzanova