2013: BBC IDENTS - A Potted History | BBC Breakfast | The Making of | BBC Archive

Nick Higham reflects on the history some of the BBC's most iconic idents.
He speaks to the daughter of esteemed graphic designer Abram Games - who created the first ever BBC TV ident, the intricate "Bat's Wings" logo. The Bat's Wings drew the ire of countless newspaper columnists back in the 1950s, likely to the delight of Games.
Mechanical models were used to realise idents like the Bat's Wings and later the BBC Globe and the BBC 2 clock idents of the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, computer-generated idents became the norm, while subsequent years have seen all manner of techniques used to create these short, striking visual stings.
Finally, Nick speaks to Martin Lambie-Nairn, the designer who conceived the popular 'Balloon' series of idents for BBC One.
Originally broadcast 29 November, 2013.
You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of tv to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic tv clips from the BBC vaults.
Make sure you subscribe so that you never miss a single stop on our amazing journey through the BBC Archive - kzbin.info?...

[@yvonnerogers6429]

Awesome! I’m American, but thanks to our Public Television importing so much British stuff I grew up with a lot of UK shows. The BBC’s American distribution arm used a variant of the balloon logo in the 1990’s, so those idents conjure fond memories of sitting with my parents knowing “As Time Goes By” was about to start. Happy 100th birthday, and thank you!

[@KevinM913]

‘As time goes by’ was brilliant. Still one of my favourite shows.

[@pyeltd.5457]

You didn't get the full balloon ident and a snippet for BBC America in 2000.

[@Simesnz]

I always wondered how those idents were created - what amazing models!

[@johntate5050]

The old, classic idents had such charm. I love the fact that they were sculptures. That gave them a magical quality and a human connection. They were mysterious things made by human hands. Computer generated anything is just sterile and devoid of character. They're dead whereas the models have soul.

[@ItsRickysChannelEXTRA]

I mean I think you are being a little unfair. The only thing that is different from a computer image and physical thing is the tool it was made with. Both of these things were created by someone and yes CGI can often come out of laziness, but the same can be considered for traditional artistry too. The only difference is the tools used, but everything has to be made from scratch. Someone has to make that 3D model used in that computer-generated image, someone has to work on animating it - if it is animated that is - and only the best animations come out from the love put into them.

[@johntate5050]

@@ItsRickysChannelEXTRA There's a huge difference is something tactile that you can hold in your hands and a computer generated image. If you can't see that I feel sorry for you.

[@tristanthomas5006]

Who else feels old giving that they're putting this on archive?

[@petergivenbless900]

That original ident did look like an art-deco Eye of Sauron. Some of my favourite TV graphics are the "candy apple" backlit animations that dominated US TV networks in the '70s.

[@manishsuresh4996]

What an effort

[@sevenwatson5854]

Very interesting...I remember the clock and the number 2 with great fondness.

[@jareknowak8712]

Monty Python also used variation of globe ident.

[@philward2538]

bring back the mirror globe.First appeared in 1969 when BBC went into colour...

[@robinvanags912]

If only.....the strongest enduring image of BBC1.

[@philward2538]

@@robinvanags912 my friend use to own one..

[@robinvanags912]

@@philward2538 I'm intrigued as to how they came to own one - could you tell us please.

[@philward2538]

@@robinvanags912 he was Director Of Broadcasting for BFBS and ex BBC..also the last ever person to interview Peter Sellers !!

[@robinvanags912]

@@philward2538 Impressive! - Thank You.

[@JasmineSurrealVideos]

I remember as a kid the 80s BBC globe, its weird to see it as it really is, a cute model in a box, but my favourite ones had to be the BBC2 2s in the 90s was it, the furry 2 on wheels, such wit and imagination. The first ident was a wee bit spooky!

[@JoeyXSmith]

Bring back the bat wings! Looks really cool.

[@pyeltd.5457]

8K remaster of the balloon ident and the 90s smokey globe for BBC 1

[@george.mathieson2]

I liked the analogue idents instead of the computer generated ones.

[@markiliff]

ʳᵉᵃˡˡʸ ᵏʷⁱᵉᵗ

[@AtheistOrphan]

Those mechanical models seem quite quaint now.

[@AtheistOrphan]

@Janik Bily - I’ve read it, what a load of twaddle. When it comes to childish works of fiction like that, I much prefer Harry Potter to that rubbish.

[@AtheistOrphan]

@Janik Bily - Which is your favourite god by the way? Man’s invented so many over the years, mine is Ganesha.

[@jdm65]

Good journo, Higham, but there are strong Partridge vibes in the intro.

[@silversteel6312]

He’s greatest creation was his daughter, no 😍?

[@siatelecomsltdLondon]

I feel that all the ident designs for the BBC, ITV & channel 4, from 1985 onwards went completely downhill.

[@Bertie_Ahern]

Definitely. A kind of corporate blandness took over. Even the jingles became dull.

[@pyeltd.5457]

No. It went downhill in 2006 with the BBC 1 circles ident then the oneness idents after that which had old fat people dancing. Channel 4 was also new in 1985 so I guess you don't like all of them. ITV is complex.

[@siatelecomsltdLondon]

@@pyeltd.5457 The computer generated channel four logos and their variants were great. Everything that came after it were a total disaster.

[@VermyScrubs]

Oh cmon the One and Two Idents from 91 were great

[@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx]

Me too.

[@88gdb]

👁

[@Locutus]

I think the hot air balloons were the best.

[@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx]

Why?

[@Locutus]

@@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx Why not?

[@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx]

@@Locutus The question was why?

[@Locutus]

@@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx and I answered it. Why not? You're the one questioning my answer! 🙂

[@Test-Tube-Baby-xo8xx]

@@Locutus Replying to a question with another question isn't an answer, it's a suboptimal response. If I asked you what 2+2 is would your answer be 'why not?' I was hoping you'd point out something I missed in the balloon ident. To me it looks rather banal, just two balloons drifting above the coastline. I was curious to know whether there was a meaning to it.

[@flaggerify]

Hate the new idents with people prancing around.

[@GeraintLewis]

Those had been gone since April this year.

[@johntate5050]

Me too. *

[@sarahlouise7163]

modern idents get more cringe and bland with every new edition