SCI FI Channel Re-Positions Itself as "The Channel of Imagination"

Business Wire, Dec 17, 2002

Entertainment Editors

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 17, 2002

Coinciding with the December 2 launch of Steven Spielberg Presents TAKEN, the biggest miniseries in television history, SCI FI Channel has evolved its identity with a new logo, new channel IDs, image spots and an updated on- and off-air look to reflect the broadening of the Channel's sensibility.

"SCI FI is all about imagination. We want to capitalize on the mainstream popularity of the broad sci-fi genre, which is all about fantasy and the supernatural, as well as more traditional science fiction," said Dave Howe, SVP of Marketing and Creative at the Channel.

The new IDs, eleven in all, are a series of visually remarkable characters and narratives that show off the imagination at its most exuberant, whether it's in the realm of fairy tales, fire-breathing babies or martial arts. The spots were directed by Erick Ifergan out of RSA, best known for his work on Sony Playstation 2 and Nintendo Gamecube, with special effects provided by Glassworks, London.

SCI FI also has launched a new image campaign with the tag line "If," which expresses the limitless possibilities of the imagination. The first image spot, "Tattoo Man," is a lushly produced :90 second spot featuring a man covered in tattoos that miraculously come to life and join him for dinner. It's directed by Vaughn Arnell out of Godman, whose work for Levi's, Audi and Stella Artois has received international acclaim. Smoke and Mirrors, London, designed the special effects.

SCIFI.COM, the channel's award-winning web site and one of the most-visited sci-fi sites on the Web, and SCI FI Magazine will also undergo a redesign consistent with the SCI FI's new look.

Creative was handled by the in-house team and Lambie Nairn, a leading UK design agency based in London.

SCI FI Channel transmits fantastic images to 80 million human homes. Launched in 1992, SCI FI features a continuous stream of cinematic hits, new and original series, and special events, as well as classic sci-fi, fantasy, and horror programming. Check out SCIFI.COM(R), the SCI FI Channel's award-winning Web site, at www.scifi.com. SCI FI Channel is a program service of Universal Television Group (www.universalstudios.com), a division of Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment (VUE), the U.S.-based film, television and recreation entity of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.