Channel 5
1997
Nine million sets to re-tune
To attract audiences and generate advertising revenue Channel 5, the UK’s fifth free-to-air television channel, had to have a strongly differentiated positioning. As part of the license agreement Channel 5 had to retune TV sets in over nine million homes in the months leading up to broadcast. The challenge was both logistical and financial. Starting as an unknown entity, Channel 5 had to inform the public about re-tuning, as well as rapidly building awareness of its launch.
Give me Five
Wolff Olins created an image awareness campaign for the channel’s re-tuning identity, under the banner ‘Give me 5’. The Channel 5 image and brand were applied in poster and print advertising, re-tuning mailings, vehicles and staff clothing. For the re-tuning campaign we also produced a video for re-tuners to run while working, a promotional piece for use in Blockbuster Video stores and a film aimed at advertisers and commercial sponsors.
92% Awareness
The re-tuning campaign achieved 92% unprompted awareness in under three months. The campaign was so successful that Channel 5 decided to use the same identity for its onscreen branding. Within the first 12 months it was available to 80% of people in the UK and had captured its target 5% market share. Channel 5 rebranded itself in September 2002 as ‘five’ to reflect the evolution the channel underwent in its programming. It renewed the new brand in October 2008 by re-launching with a redesigned logo.
