THE BRIEF

BBC Creative are one of our longest standing clients, working on a diverse range of shows and campaigns. "This Town," a BBC drama series by Steven Knight (creator of "Peaky Blinders"), follows an extended family and four young people drawn into the explosive Ska/Two Tone music scene of Coventry and Birmingham in the early 1980s, set against a backdrop of political unrest and IRA violence.  The show had a Logo endboard, but little else in the way of Branding, the brief was to create a brand identity to promote the show for its launch, that focussed more on influence from the Ska/Two Tone Music scene, yet still retain a political, gritty edge. Steven Knights poetry also was forefront in the identity, beautifully encapsulating the tone and narrative of this period in time.

Our Approach

Starting by looking at the styles of the period and in particular the Ska/Two Tone Music scene, the Posters, Band logos & covers, Record labels , we developed several concepts. The B&W Checkerboard is synonymous with the scene and is a strong graphical style that made for an immediately recognisable approach. However there was concern that the Checkerboard was tied very closely to Two Tone records, a trademark of their brand, and that from a legal stand point it was best to not step on any toes. In response we looked into the designer of two tone records brand, David Storey, he was heavily influenced by 40s-60s typography and in particular Jan Tschichold. “It was the direct, clean and economic in use of colour and shapes, everything was designed on a grid, Swiss Typography, as it was known.” This became our starting point to develop the final identity, using a grid style and angled typography, mixed with gritty textures, FX and typography. We introduced the 2 colours from the show logo, whilst still retaining the repeated checkerboard pattern for the promotional Beer Mats. For the OOH billboards, a fly posting style was developed instead with the introduction of Vinyl record textures at the suggestion of Steven Knight. This was a nice touch that then was developed into other areas of the brand identity. The Social film Graphics and Broadcast Trailer Titles were grade with VHS/old CRT screen FX and rotoscoped into the footage to really feel apart of the era.

IN THE WILD

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As with most projects, things get cut for many reasons, even if they are our favourite or what we feel is the strongest route. Had we had the option, this is how we would have developed the brand from the intial concepts below. More stripped back in colour palette, with a sdynamic use of the Two Tone Checkerboard pattern.