Lifetime & VH-1 Network Identifications 1984-85
The most interesting work comes from the most interesting clients, and invariably, the most interesting clients front the ventures that allow you to do great work.
These projects were not examples of great work.
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In 1984, Lifetime, before it was the first women’s network, thought the idea of bringing talk radio to a television format was a good one. It was (Fox News isn’t news, but talk radio), but these weren’t the executives who could pull it off. Everything about working for them was boring and while we got our best creative companions on the project of creating an identity for the network, we couldn’t elevate our clients’ visions past medium. Though, I must say, I always enjoyed the talk balloon stuff (by Buzzco) and the pre-iPod silouettes (directed by Tim Boxell at Colossal).
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VH-1 launched in 1985 as a “fighting brand” for MTV against Ted Turner’s Cable Music Channel. No one at MTV really wanted to do it (they loved MTV and thought it was the greatest) and as a result VH-1: Video Hits One never really had a clear mission. Anyone who watched it knew it (as has everyone who’s watched it in the 22 years since), but, trying to get it together creatively to present the channel to an audience was particularly daunting. We pulled together our reliable creative companions to get a network ID package together in three weeks (rather than the more reasonable eight) and I think the cracks show. The executions are cracker-jack, but the ideas are, uh, not much.
–Fred
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On September 5th, 2007 at 12:00 am
When Lifetime took on the tag line “television for women”, they really shot themselves in the foot, in my opinion. Talk about alienating half your audience! “Hey Steve, what channel were you watching last night?” “Lifetime.” “Lifetime! That’s television for women! HAHAHAHAHHA”… and then Steve never watches Lifetime again.
On September 5th, 2007 at 12:00 am
It’s amazing how Lifetime used to be for talk radio like shows, and now it’s for women. Anyhoo, my mom didn’t know it was for women. Huh.
And I’ll never understand the purpose of VH-1, but at least know I know it’s history. (via Wikipedia)
On September 6th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Actually Floyd, I’ve got to disagree. 1) Women are 50% of the population: 150,000,000 million people. 2) The most popular cable network averages a rating that totals 1,000,000 people. 3) Lifetime was the number 1 prime time network for a few years with their women strategy.
On September 8th, 2007 at 12:00 am
There’s a quote in “Fight Club” that is something like “We are a generation of men raised by women.” Maybe that is some of it? I know in my house growing up (three sisters and a mom), we watched a lot of Lifetime. The guy in those TV movies usually doesn’t do too well in the end… dead or in jail.