In a move to net more eyeballs, CBC News is revamping. Beginning January 9, CBC News will unveil new graphics, colour scheme and five-tone mnemonic. The changes were done in a bid to make CBC’s news package more cohesive across all platforms, says John Bozzo, executive director, communications at CBC. ‘People didn’t have a sense of what CBC had to offer so CBC News [and its look and feel] will be under one umbrella across all platforms so that various media (web, radio and TV) won’t be branded differently.’ The news’ new look is under tight wraps, though Bozzo says that later this week will see the beginnings of a national advertising campaign (created internally) inviting folks to tune in on January 9. OOH executions include billboards, transit shelters, Esso gas pump screens, radio stations, as well as online. A national print campaign is also on tap across all major dailies plus The Globe & Mail and The National Post.
Last year, the net commissioned a survey using 1200 Canucks to glean what consumers were looking for in Canada’s news media. Respondents fired back that CBC was seen as ‘not cool’ and ‘for older people.’ Though Bozzo says, ‘there are no plans to dumb down the news,’ the net is hoping to not only retain its core news audience (45-65 year-olds, skewing male), but also to attract 25-54s who are currently not watching CBC News. The launch is timely: CBC chose to launch during a federal election period – a time guaranteed to net more eyeballs.
The five-week media campaign was done by MBS, with all new branding and creative done in-house.
