Channel 4 is largely regarded as a pioneer of modern Great British television, known for award-winning comedies like The Inbetweeners, fly-on-the-wall documentaries such as One Born Every Minute, epochal series’ like Skins and This Is England, and of course, cultural phenomenons like Big Brother, Gogglebox, and Countdown. These programs are cornerstones of British identity, which — along with some groundbreaking documentaries on the gritty underbelly of societies — has defined Channel 4 as a progressive broadcaster. Now, it doubles down on its ethos with a new series of idents, each championing a modern British society.
The new idents (which is a short clip that plays between shows to identify the channel) were made by the company’s in-house creative agency 4creative in collaboration with Art Practice and Love Song. Five were made and they are based on the topics of “Identity,” “The Land,” “System,” “Release,” and “Love.”
Words by the British writer and LAW magazine founder John Joseph Holt overlay scenes of modern Britain, detailing cultural diversity and what makes the UK today. For example, it starts in an off license made in CGI, while realistic family scenes see the people gather around each other, just as you would at home.
17 independent creatives, artists, and filmmakers came together to create a looping series of 25 shorts, which come together to paint this honest and humble representation.
Zaid Al-Qassab, Chief Marketing Officer at Channel 4, said: “Our idents reach 50 million people in the UK every month, so we wanted to represent all of us, the rich diversity of our nation, our communities, and our passions. This is not only a representation of Channel 4, this is the most viewed piece of public art in the UK, that will be seen for many years to come, so it was important to us that it spoke to everyone. Whoever you are, we hope you will find something that speaks to your heart.”
Lynsey Atkin, Executive Creative Director at Channel 4, added, “The Channel 4 idents have a long history of visual excellence and as a marker for British creativity. We hope that this new set builds on this legacy and delights viewers many times over, with everyone finding a loop that feels like home to them. The idents at their purest represent the unbreakable spirit of Channel 4 – of diversity, challenge, and creative risk – and it has been a true labor of love bringing these idents to life with so many brilliant and varied directors and artists. We can’t wait to see them out in the world.”
You can watch the full ident film above.
In other news, the Aesop Queer Library is returning for Pride Month 2023.
