We partnered with our friends at The CW to usher in a new era for the network. Following a massive programming expansion that sees sports coming to The CW, the self-proclaimed scrappy underdogs wanted to draw a line in the sand of their industry and position themselves squarely on the other side. We worked closely with their creative team to capture The CW’s no-holds-barred attitude in a brand that exists beyond content. Entertainment takes itself far too seriously and, now, The CW doesn’t have to.
Leading with its voice, the brand speaks in a way the biggest networks can’t, bringing with it a light-hearted irreverence that feels like a breath of fresh air. A premium and deadpan type system delivered atop pure white backdrops allows the messaging to flourish with boldness and confidence. Speaking with wit and relatability, the brand adds a vital dose of personality to the world of entertainment.
A flexible device born from The CW logo, The Stage is a symbolic and literal platform that elevates stories, characters and sports. From gripping dramas that keep you on the edge of your seat, to thrilling sports that have you on your feet, The Stage is a striking, graphic brand signature and Brand Open that can billow out to hold up every type of content. It can also shrink into a discreet yet iconic detail, closing the gap between audience and action. No matter where or how you are watching, The Stage simply cannot be missed.
The brand bursts with flavour and spice, embodied by its attention-grabbing colour palette. The hero colour, Hot Sauce, is a vibrant and energetic orange that instantly lights up the room, bringing unapologetic joy and excitement with it wherever it goes.
“With a brief that allowed us to explore The CW from a completely blank slate, we were able to create something very difficult to achieve - a brand that works across many regions of the US with a clean and simple system that relies heavily on a great TOV to bring the attitude.”
– Eliot Bromley, Senior Producer
“Very early in the project, we knew that voice would be a defining feature of our brand. The challenge was how we deliver messaging that gives space to our voice to shine through. Harnessing a premium, deadpan aesthetic, paired with an iconic graphic device, we have created a brand that is bold, confident and truly unmissable.”
– Charlie Greenslade, Senior Designer
“The voice was born from the manifesto. It was a really fantastic moment where the client heard a line in that piece of writing and went ‘that's it, that's us. How do we do that?’ What followed was a super collaborative process where we helped them build their personality from that line, then distil it into a tone of voice that has the ability to resonate across an incredibly varied US audience without losing its point of view.”
– Eva Munday, Senior Brand Writer
