B-Reel Creates a Complete Brand Identity for New Music Channel NickMusic

Creative agency B-Reel London has collaborated with Viacom Media Networks to rebrand MTV Hits into NickMusic, a 24-hours music video network and content platform for kids that launched on September 9th. 

A Nickelodeon rebrand of Viacom’s MTV Hits channel, B-Reel has created a fun and oddball brand identity that also serves as a content platform for the new music channel aimed at kids aged 9 to 14.

NickMusic is a non-Nielsen rated and non-ad funded channel, providing a break-less experience through combination of music videos and original content pieces. With the airtime experience free for B-Reel to imagine, the rebrand builds the channel’s identity between the music clips through a series of idents, bumpers and short content items.

 

The channel introduces artist-hosted programming blocks and branded segments created by B-Reel, reflecting digital musical culture through concepts such as ‘Bumpin’ Beats’, ‘Pop Playback’ and ‘Videos We Heart’. 

Davor Krvavac, Creative Director at B-Reel, comments: “The opportunity to build a TV Channel Identity from the ground up is a rare beast and something we really relished. Especially so with this brief where we were encouraged to let our imagination run free. Everything boiled down to understanding how our audience experience and connect with the modern pop stars. There’s a visual playfulness that draws on how tweens communicate, and their insatiable thirst for unexpected entertainment - something that is intrinsic to the character of the Nickelodeon mother brand and shows. The end result is fun, fresh and a little bit mad.”

Despite not being exclusively a branding agency, B-Reel understand youth culture and what it takes to build a brand in a digital world, having already worked with Viacom on the creation of MTV Bump. Turning control of the channel to its users, MTV Bump is an online platform through which users can submit their own content with videos selected each day that air on MTV.

Davor Krvavac comments: “We may not be the most obvious partner for brands looking to create an entire identity, but increasingly clients come to us because of our understanding of digital culture and behaviours. MTV Bump is a great example of turning the concept of channel idents and bumpers on it’s head - allowing viewers to create their own and broadcast on air within two hours. In NickMusic’s case, the aim was to create something safe but super fun and surprising that feeds on the DIY visual expression and communication, and everything that feeds into it.”

From a branding perspective, B-Reel delivered a full service production to Nickelodeon, which included crafting new bespoke letterforms for the ‘NickMusic’ logo, as well as creating a custom-cut, fully animated typeface. Sound design for the project was taken care of by the B-Reel Team in collaboration with music agency MassiveMusic. 

NickMusic launched across the Viacom network in North America on September 9th.