David Farnor | On 02, Nov 2022

Channel 4 is rebranded its online platform All 4. The new name? Channel 4.

The broadcaster has always been at the forefront of digital streaming, with 4OD launching way back in 2006. In 2015, Channel 4 swapped that name for All 4 and, in the seven years since, many users have continued to refer to the on-demand platform as 4OD – an indicator not of the platform’s lack of success or popularity (four out of five of all 16-34-year-olds in the UK are registered with All 4) but of how difficult it is for a broadcaster to change its identity and brand in today’s crowded media landscape. Indeed, ITV’s upcoming launch of ITV X will attempt to find a way to consolidate the brand power of both ITV Hub and BritBox.

Channel 4’s All 4 hit 1.5bn views in 2021 – an increase of 21 per cent year-on-year. In the meantime, the broadcaster last week rebranded its YouTube and social media presence as “Channel 4.0” as part of its digital-first approach to programming. That, it’s now becoming clearer, will tie in with Channel 4’s overall branding strategy, which will try to adopt one catch-all umbrella, using Channel 4 to encompass both linear and digital TV. Channel 4’s entire portfolio of channels will also align with the ‘Channel 4’ brand.

Zaid Al-Qassab, Chief Marketing Officer at Channel 4, said: “As Channel 4 turns 40, we’re responding to the challenge of an increasingly crowded content market by using our most powerful asset, the Channel 4 brand. The creation of a singular brand vision will better serve our viewers and help futureproof the channel to make sure we’re able to continue to take creative risks for the next 40 years.

“We want to become the viewers’ North Star in the digital world. A valued curator to help them navigate to a destination full of entertaining and thoughtful content they know they can trust.”

New idents have been commissioned as part of the brand transformation, which wil begin from spring 2023.

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