The Financial Times Strengthens Its Premium Position with Celebration of 130 Years Being Pink

The Financial Times has released the first in a series of animated films designed to reaffirm its position as a premium news brand.

The films, conceived and created in partnership with their strategic and creative advertising partner, the Orange Panther Collective and creative studio H5, are designed to look at the brand through the lens of history, purpose and attitude. 

The series kicks off with the story of the newspaper’s iconic salmon pink colour, which presents the unexpected story behind the colour that dates back to 1888 and relates not only to its desire to stand out but also its insistence on innovation.

The second film will explore the Financial Times’ original masthead ‘Without Fear and Without Favour’ - a principle that underpins the FT’s journalism today. 

The first brand film launched at BAFTA and will air on the brand’s owned channels, partner sites and at major events from next week.

Tia McPhee, global brand and partnerships director, said: “OPC has done a brilliant job of pulling an incredible selection of talent together to deliver the vision we had for communicating our history in the most compelling visual way. We wanted to emphasise the quality of our content through the production values of this film and to illustrate the continually innovating nature of the FT brand. We are so proud to be able to share this part of our origin story with the world, celebrating being ‘Fearlessly Pink for 130 years’."

Simon Hewitt, co-founder and CEO of the Orange Panther Collective, said: “At a time when news is becoming increasingly commoditized, and many businesses find themselves in a race to the bottom, the FT is celebrating its rich heritage and reminding readers why it offers such unique value”

“The paper may be 135 years old and hugely proud of its history but it’s also a modern publication and that has led the way in its digital transformation. When we devised this approach we wanted the films to reflect that modernity and remain mindful of the era in which it is operating. The use of animation and the distinctive look and feel of the films speak to that 2023 attitude, yet at 90-seconds apiece they mirror the FT’s commitment to its craft which is rooted in considered, informed storytelling”.