UKTV channel names

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

Hello all,

This is probably a stupid post to make and will most likely get locked - but I have a question to ask

Should UKTV go back to using generic UKTV-prefixed channel names or keep the individual names?

Thanks for reading 

[Rex]

The simple answer is no. UKTV have achieved far greater success by giving each channel a clear identity of their own. Why change it back?

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

The simple answer is no. UKTV have achieved far greater success by giving each channel a clear identity of their own. Why change it back?

Okay then, how were they doing with the prefixed names?

[dbl]

It's a bit trickier with the on demand world though.... UKTV Play awareness isn't at a level where they like it. Splitting up the channels by having quirky names worked well 10/15 years ago but sort of backfires when you're competing with BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub/X, All4, My5 (clue the parent company and channels share the same name.)

[JetixFann450]

The simple answer is no. UKTV have achieved far greater success by giving each channel a clear identity of their own. Why change it back?

Okay then, how were they doing with the prefixed names?

Probably much worser than they were without. For example, the main reason they basically started to ditch the prefix is likely because UKTVG2 really doesn't roll off the tongue, plus it's more clunky as a name. It's good identity wise but terrible for marketing and in conversation, so it's easier to talk about brands like Dave, GOLD and/or W because it doesn't feel like there's a corporate name attached to them.

[London Lite]

I wasn't a fan of losing the prefixes when UKTV removed it from the channel branding, but look at Dave which has a distinctive brand character or Gold which does what it says on the tin.

As for UKTV Play's issues, if it was half as good as iPlayer or All4, I'd use it a lot more, but like My5 it suffers from poor PQ.

[Dylan2001]

I was gutted when the 2009 rebrand happened. The 2004 look was colourful. Plus I watched a lot of UKTV People and it closed. I think UKTV gold had eastenders repeats?

[Brekkie]

It's a bit trickier with the on demand world though.... UKTV Play awareness isn't at a level where they like it. Splitting up the channels by having quirky names worked well 10/15 years ago but sort of backfires when you're competing with BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub/X, All4, My5 (clue the parent company and channels share the same name.)

The names seemed stupid at the time but there is no doubt they worked.   Indeed arguably a similar rebrand for UKTV Play itself would actually be the solution.   It would probably be more recogniseable as "Dave and Friends" for example.

(BTW Alibi is joining Now TV at the end of the month, replacing National Geographic).

[NancerOnTheLIVEForum]

Maybe just put "UKTV" on the front of the channel names? (e.g. "UKTV Gold", "UKTV Alibi")

[Larry the Loafer]

They're doing the best they can do at the moment I suppose. They keep the channels' individual identities whilst associating it with UKTV at every given opportunity.

[JAS84]

Maybe just put "UKTV" on the front of the channel names? (e.g. "UKTV Gold", "UKTV Alibi")

Or at least make the UKTV brand more prominent. Include it in the ident, then have it morph into the channel logo. Have a DOG that has the UKTV logo next to the channel logo. Announce the channels as being part of the UKTV Network (like early 90s Sky).

[London Lite]

If you take Global as an example, they use a mix of brand names that don't have the Global name on the branding at all, yet it's all wrapped in the Global Player brand which seems to work for them.

Bauer on the other hand have a website and Alexa skill called Planet Radio, yet there's no Planet Radio app and you have to download the specific radio station brand app which does all the things Planet Radio does anyway. (You can download the "KISS KUBE" and still listen to Planet Rock on it)

So there's two examples of how the two biggest radio groups in the UK do it brand wise, but I think there needs to be a revamp of the UKTV Player which makes it more of an incentive to use than currently.

I don't think it helps that the UKTV Player doesn't have content from Gold, Alibi and Eden on it, even for a small charge in addition to the Freeview brands it features and if you watch the premium VOD on Sky, Virgin or NOW, it still features the UKTV brand even if the player which the public associates it with doesn't have it.

[Rdd]

When “Dave” came along I thought it was a fairly silly name, but hey, it was replacing probably the worst channel name in the history of television (the aforementioned tongue twister that was “UKTVG2”), so it was due at least a chance to prove itself, no matter that “everyone knows a bloke called Dave” seemed a daft reason to name a channel.

Since then, I’ve been happy to be proven wrong; Dave has developed a strong identity for itself, separate from Gold (arguably to the extent that it’s displaced Gold as the UKTV flagship), with a good track record in original programming, and it gave us four more series of Red Dwarf, the last three of which were arguably better than the last two BBC commissioned ones.

The question I suppose is, capitalise on Dave’s strengths, or sacrifice them on the alter of UKTV as a whole? I know something would definitely be lost if they changed to “UKTV Dave” or similar.

[Larry the Loafer]

"You're watching Dave, part of the British Sky Br- ahem... Part of the UKTV network."

Just a thought...

[JAS84]

That's exactly what I meant above when I said "Announce the channels as being part of the UKTV Network (like early 90s Sky).".