Comedy Central had breakthrough success with programming like South Park and The Daily Show, but they were getting none of the credit. Their unwieldy logo and stylistically inconsistent promos only made matters worse, especially in a media landscape that had shifted to streaming, mobile and social media—platforms that demand distinct, consistent branding. The network sought a brand refresh, but they had one request: “Please don’t change the logo.”

And then we changed the logo in order to give them the attribution they deserved, and along with it, we completely restructured the brand. Our solution spanned network packaging, promos and OTT digital assets. It accounted for tone of voice, employing a variety of typographic styles on screen rather than voiceover, with guidelines for pacing and language. We also created a graphic system Comedy Central could use to create an ownable library of content, a bold new idea at the time, especially for linear television.

In the years since the 2010 rebrand, logo overhauls have become utterly commonplace, changing on a dime and reviewed by the masses. Rarely, however, do they have as significant an impact on a company’s behaviors as this one did.

In addition to becoming an efficient mark for small-scale digital applications, the redesign regained network attribution for some of Comedy Central’s most successful programs, such as The Daily Show and South Park. These shows had become beloved brands in and of themselves, and now the logomark could be placed like a copyright directly on them.

One of the first major redesigns to adopt the heavy dose of minimalism that permeates today’s logo design.

— ARMIN VIT, BRAND NEW

Brand packaging that envelops content

An ambitious example of branding in the age of tablet computing.

— FAST COMPANY

Brand as written voice