Fox Reality going for pixelation: Channel gets ‘edgy’ new look next month

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This article was published 19/12/2008 (6227 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

By Daniel Frankel, Variety
Growing cabler Fox Reality is about to launch its first major marketing campaign, debuting the channel’s new look next month.
Initiative reps the channel’s biggest strategic branding to date and comes just months after Nielsen started officially measuring the ratings on Fox Reality.
The new campaign centers on the kind of pixelization well known to viewers of edgy reality fare. In this case, the pixels normally used to hide racy and objectionable content will play a major role in Fox Reality’s uniform graphic look as the 3-year-old channel plots ways to better stand out.
“During this day and age, viewers don’t know where they are on the dial, and everybody’s repurposing everybody else’s work,” said Lorey Zlotnick, senior VP of marketing and on-air promotions for Fox Reality. “This will be something we’ll be known for.”
Officials for the cabler hope the new campaign — which features a pixelated backdrop for the Fox Reality logo for promos and other marketing collateral — creates a “branding umbrella” that ties together the channel’s broad spectrum of reality programming.
Skeins on Fox Reality range from reruns of family-friendly nonfiction fare such as “American Idol” to racier original series including “My Bare Lady.”
“In order to create a sense of environment and link all these shows together, we had to create a branding campaign with an umbrella look,” Zlotnick said.
Fox Reality tapped New York-based PMcD Design to design the new look.
Zlotnick said the channel will also quietly embed images within the pixelated graphics for viewers who are able to freeze the channel’s promos either online or with a DVR.
The channel will debut its new look during the rollout of “Solitary v3.0,” which premieres Jan. 17.