As more and more people move away from traditional live TV habits and into the on demand streaming environment, I can’t help but miss a certain performance that would take place at the start of every terrestrial TV show. It’s enveloped in nostalgia and has personally never not passed me by for deep analysis. I do still believe there is a need for TV idents, and I only hope that new idents continue to pop up in the future…
So here is a quick round-up of some of my most favourite idents, that I hope you’ll remember and enjoy!
Channel 4: Tokyo ident (2005)
I remember seeing this for the first time when I was in my teens, and it’s probably one of the reasons why I love Tokyo and the Japanese culture so much. The allure of the bright city lights where a maze of excitement and possibility is waiting for you around the corner is something this ident captures. Everything has been considered here. To begin with, the sound is atmospheric and feels as though it is in awe of what it is seeing; the bass is deep and the reverb feels infinite. This is paired with detailed sounds such as the bicycle bell, the arcade enticement and the shop door alarm beeping in the background. It all leads up to a slightly quieter gap when the Channel 4 logo is revealed for only a second amongst the maze of bright signage. Visually this ident is a sweet shop for the senses. It’s bright, exciting, and is filmed from the point of view of a tourist. I could watch this again and again and still see something that I didn’t pick up on beforehand. It’s beautiful and the attention to detail in making sure the Channel 4 logo fitted in with the actual signs on the street is a mere illusion that has been very well crafted and researched. One that I’ll never tire of watching.
BBC2 Idents (2022)
There are just too many favourites to pick from BBC2’s smorgasbord of idents from 2022 onwards. There’s an array of visual textures that are so satisfying to watch and all work tonally too. As they move and form amongst the hidden boundary of the 2 in the centre, it’s a playful way to have fun with an ident. Below is a few grabs of my favourites.
Below is a special Christmas ident that BBC2 rolls out for the festive season. A cute simple one that always brings a smile!
Channel 4: Diner (2004)
Not to feature all the Channel 4 Idents around the early noughties, but this one is almost as great at the Tokyo one. The POV of yourself on a road trip, going through America at sunset, and you come across this diner (actually a movie set) that’s vividly lit up is all rather enticing. The music is lazy and slightly drunk in its tone, yet comforting to you that you have found some sort of civilisation after such a long drive. The tumbleweed and sound of wind in the background just complete this great ident.
ITV Creates (2019)
A great idea that I wasn’t fully aware of, but in 2019, ITV commissioned 52 artists to create an ident in their style and that would be used throughout each week of the year. From sculpture to TV monitors, every medium is used and it’s a great piece of ident inspiration.