CBC The National - Ove Brand Design

How can a brand get you to the heart of the story?

THE OPPORTUNITY

Ahead of the anticipated retirement of long-time host Peter Mansbridge, Ove was asked by CBC to help The National redefine its brand and identity for the future of news.

THE OUTCOME

A new back-to-basics brand with a bold visual expression and design system reflects The National’s unique ability to get to what really matters to Canadians.

At a time when anyone with a social media account can disseminate news –
whether accurate or not – it was more crucial than ever for The National to
clearly define what it stands for, act on it consistently, and be recognized for it.

Building on the rich history of The National and the strength of CBC News, the relaunch was an opportunity to reimagine storytelling in Canada. The new format goes deeper into the stories that matter to Canadians, which is delivered across a spectrum of media.

Collage of image showings the Ove's team visiting The National's set, and brainstorming ideas written on paper on the wall

Collage of different "stylescapes" created during the exploration phase

Ove engaged in a highly collaborative process, working closely with The National’s producers, directors, photographers, editors, writers, and designers to craft and refine a new brand positioning strategy. The goal was to ensure that the brand’s defining characteristics were reflected in every aspect of their work.

As a result of these discussions, The National renewed its commitment to placing the story at the heart of everything it produces.

Cutting through the clutter to get to the truth of the story became not only a foundation of the brand, but the inspiration for its new visual identity.ˮ

A storied tradition

CBC has a long and proud history with The National. The updated logo is an evolution of a wordmark Canadians already know well.

More than a television program

Today, The National delivers news to Canadians over a range of media platforms. Our identity system has been designed for flexibility, allowing it to be adapted to small digital sizes, social media and other formats.

Getting out of the way of the story

The National is renowned for cutting through the clutter to get to the truth and deeper meaning of the story. This foundation of the brand became the main inspiration for its new visual identity.

Ultimately, the story is what matters most – everything else is merely a distraction. The new identity ensures that viewers can access the essential information without having to navigate through layers of distracting graphics or animations.

The guiding principle is simple: if itʼs not essential to the story, remove it.

Collage of different news images from around the world, including Adrienne Arsenault reporting from a warn-torn city

Collage of different news images from around the world, including a screenshot of The National's intro title screen

The non-colour colour palette approach reflects the dedication to keep the story at the centre,
and is symbolic of the neutrality with which stories are told.ˮ

One of the most dramatic departures from the conventional approach of news broadcasters is The Nationalʼs neutral colour palette, in which white, black and shades of grey frame the story.

Where needed to bring clarity to infographics and other visual explainers, colour is extracted from the story itself.

Image of orange glowing forest fires at dusk in British Columbia

Indistinct blurred image of orange and blue hues

Infographic of statistics of British Columbia's fires, showing a map of B.C. with colour dots marking the fire areas over a blurred orange background

With Canadians increasingly accessing news on their devices and through social media, the new identity needed to support a multi-platform news strategy.ˮ
Celina Fischer, Creative Director, CBC News