We have been warned.
The Sci Fi channel announced that it was changing its name to SyFy a few months ago, and the switch happens tomorrow. Unfortunately Bruce Willis is not going to rescue us from this colossal attack of bad branding and phonetic foolishness. This name change has been widely criticized, so I'm only adding a final pinch of salt to the wound on the eve of its debut.
The pre-launch ad campaign has been plastered on buses and phone kiosks. It shows a glowing white SyFy logo hovering menacingly over an unsuspecting metropolis. The tag line accompanying this image is IMAGINE GREATER. Really. Why change the name at all, "sci fi" is already a clearly understood abbreviation for science fiction? Can't trademark it? Design a symbol and register that!
The existing Sci Fi channel's logo is weak by any measure but in my opinion the cable TV universe is not a pantheon of stellar graphics. Given this environment this logo with its meager graphic reference to Saturn, blends in with the rest of the lackluster logos for the other channels.
One of my least favorites is for Animal Planet. My kids ask me why this logo has the "M" turned on its side. I just say it represents a dead mammal. For all the visual wonder the natural world has to offer, this typographic cliché is all they could come up with?
On the other hand the Spike TV logo is muscular and direct, just right for their testosterone-powered audience.
The new SyFy logo is devoid of any visual clue as to the station's programming. Maybe it will blink, beam or blip when used in the bottom right-hand corner of our screens. Otherwise, it could substitute for any product branding out of the pharmaceutical industry.
I'm not really part of the SyFy channel's demographic. I like my "sci fi" in IMAX with surround sound and popcorn. However, I am a fan of effective design and branding and this identity change is galactically flawed. Fortunately for the SyFy channel, we terrestrials are a very adaptable species. A year from now, we will just accept this new brand and not even question wy.
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Ken Carbone is among America's most respected graphic designers, whose work is renowned for its clarity and intelligence. He has built an international reputation creating outstanding programs for world-class clients, including Tiffany & Co., W.L Gore, Herman Miller, PBS, Christie's, Nonesuch Records, the W Hotel Group and The Taubman Company. His clients also include celebrated cultural institutions such as the Museé du Louvre, The Museum of Modern Art, The Pierpont Morgan Library, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the High Museum of Art.
Related Stories: | Topics:Design, Yes to Less, Ken Carbone, rebranding, sci fi channel, syfy, science fiction, branding, logo, industrial design, Ken Carbone, SCI FI Channel, Bruce Willis, United States, Entertainment |
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Recent Comments | 7 Total
July 7, 2009 at 9:38am by Don Hopings
SyFy?
Just another case of trying to snatch Defeat from the jaws of Victory...
July 7, 2009 at 12:06pm by Michael Cronan
Ken's comments are spot on. Brand changes should provoke, stimulate and in some way begin to lead the consumer to an intended next level of excitement and understanding. These changes represent a dumbing-down of the essence of the brands they are meant to advance. In SyFy's case, the catch phrase Imagine Greater is a thinned-out version of Apple's phrase, Think Different. Change for change sake is expected and important in fashion. When a brand changes, more is expected.
July 7, 2009 at 12:39pm by Jason Conner
I'm still trying to figure out what they intend us to Imagine Greater... Unless they're moving into user generated content, they could be very well asking us, "Why aren't you doing something better with your time than watching TV?"
July 7, 2009 at 1:56pm by Mark Clark
Once upon a time the consumers of science fiction (sci-fi) were a highly literate group. The novels, novellas, and short stories required a more expansive vocabulary, comprehension of the physical world, and a desire to look beyond the "is" to the "will be." Sadly, the mentality of this phonetically spelled branding shift is lost on a generation exposed to rote memorization and "creative spelling". Yet one more triumph for the dumbing down of America.
July 7, 2009 at 1:56pm by Mark Clark
Once upon a time the consumers of science fiction (sci-fi) were a highly literate group. The novels, novellas, and short stories required a more expansive vocabulary, comprehension of the physical world, and a desire to look beyond the "is" to the "will be." Sadly, the mentality of this phonetically spelled branding shift is lost on a generation exposed to rote memorization and "creative spelling". Yet one more triumph for the dumbing down of America.
July 7, 2009 at 5:01pm by Stefan G. Bucher
Sigh-Fy. -- This is like the German spelling reform of a few years back, designating the most common mistakes as correct from now on. Broadening the brand appeal of Wrong! Wrong has excellent share of mind, you know.
July 13, 2009 at 6:07pm by Steve Portigal
I had thought the point was that they had already moved away from traditional Science Fiction and were trying to bring their name and logo up to date with that. Their viewers are a higher percentage of women, especially given what you'd expect for the supposed content, and so as the content shifts and the audience shifts, the brand needs to shift. That's my understanding of the need.
I don't disagree at all with your description of how well they have not addressed that need, but I think that context might help assess the failure a bit better?
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