Digital on-screen graphics

[Vanilla Vip3r]

Love them or hate them, Digital on-screen graphics or DOGs have been a near constant on our screens for the past 25+ years. If memory serves me right, out of the main terrestrial channels I think it's only BBC One and BBC Two that don't currently sport their logos permanently on screen during programmes.

But do you think they're really necessary? Or are you of the school of thought that it is no different to say a company like Nike plastering their logo all over their trainers?

Also, who do you think are the heroes and villains of DOG implementation?

For me, ITV and Channel 5 have probably got it right. Their on-screen logos are small, tidy and tucked away in the far corner, so they don't really distract your attention from the actual programmes.

The worst have to be the Now Music channels. Bright, animated logos complete with permanent clock in one corner, programme title in another, track artist and title in another and usually something else in the remaining corner. All wholly unnecessary in my opinion.

Thoughts?

[Neil Jones]

The broadcast BBC had a DOG in the early digital days:
https://625.uk.com/dogwatch/#bbcdigidog

In fact they had a right ding-dong battle over those in the late 1990s, and the BBC One/Two DOGs went bye bye after less than two months, and BBC Choice DOGs went, came back, got tweaked and then were replaced with BBC Three:
https://625.uk.com/dogwatch/#bbc3

[VMPhil]

In terms of just the channel logo ones, I don't think they work at all. When they're small, dim and unobtrusive, which most are now, people don't notice them. When they were large, bright and obtrusive, they just p*ssed people off.

Not that I would want it as a viewer, but marketing wise I think it would better for brand awareness if a larger, more obtrusive logo appeared at the start of the programme (and returning from break) for 5-10 seconds, before disappearing.

[Vanilla Vip3r]

In terms of just the channel logo ones, I don't think they work at all. When they're small, dim and unobtrusive, which most are now, people don't notice them. When they were large, bright and obtrusive, they just p*ssed people off.

Not that I would want it as a viewer, but marketing wise I think it would better for brand awareness if a larger, more obtrusive logo appeared at the start of the programme (and returning from break) for 5-10 seconds, before disappearing.

That sounds similar to what the Sky branded channels do.

[James Martin]

Why is it still an accepted convention not to DOG your "legacy" channel(s) but DOG newer post-Digital ones?

Eg. BBC Four and C4's brand extensions, when 1/2/4 proper are DOGless.

If I'm not mistaken, UTV had a DOG at least a few years before ITV followed suit in 2013.

I'm not convinced they need to be a thing anyway. In the days of analogue satellite and cable yes there was a case for it as not all systems could give you recall of the channel name easily. But ever since the EPG became A Thing, I haven't seen the point.

[gottago]

Why is it still an accepted convention not to DOG your "legacy" channel(s) but DOG newer post-Digital ones?

Eg. BBC Four and C4's brand extensions, when 1/2/4 proper are DOGless.

C4 has had a permanent DOG for a few years now.

[dbl]

I'd say in this current era of social media where everything is shared quickly, they're necessary to reinforce your branding. As long as they're designed in a way that isn't too intrusive, I don't mind them.



This meme has been shared globally on Twitter, but BBC Three's brand is consistently there.

Promo DOGs as annoying as they can be, are effective when planned right.

[TIGHazard]

I'd say in this current era of social media where everything is shared quickly, they're necessary to reinforce your branding. As long as they're designed in a way that isn't too intrusive, I don't mind them.



This meme has been shared globally on Twitter, but BBC Three's brand is consistently there.

Promo DOGs as annoying as they can be, are effective when planned right.

See also the BBC Sport DOG they've been using recently. If any punditry goes viral, then it is obvious who they are working for. (Same as Sky/BT)

Why is it still an accepted convention not to DOG your "legacy" channel(s) but DOG newer post-Digital ones?

Eg. BBC Four and C4's brand extensions, when 1/2/4 proper are DOGless.

C4 has had a permanent DOG for a few years now.

Except for Formula 1 for some reason.

[Hatton Cross]

Except for Formula 1 for some reason.

That may be because of the FOM left hand side 'tower' graphic.
I've never seen the '4' logo DOG in any other place than top left, and there, it would be overlayed with the session countdown timer, or lap counter/Race control flag graphic.

[Brekkie]

It does move top right for other sport.

Notice ITV4 have their DOG go orange on the return from breaks in the French Open, something I haven't noticed them do before.

[VMPhil]

It does move top right for other sport.

Notice ITV4 have their DOG go orange on the return from breaks in the French Open, something I haven't noticed them do before.

Doesn't it go yellow during Tour de France?

[JohnnySmith]

Except for Formula 1 for some reason.

That may be because of the FOM left hand side 'tower' graphic.
I've never seen the '4' logo DOG in any other place than top left, and there, it would be overlayed with the session countdown timer, or lap counter/Race control flag graphic.

On Channel 4+1 the DOG is in the top right corner bizzarely. I remember watching the 2014 Commonwealth Games on BBC Three and that was randomly in the top right too, might be a reason, not sure. I do think they look better in the top left though.

[JasonB]

I remember when I first went to the USA in 2001 thinking programmes looked different with the DOG being in the bottom right hand side of the screen.

I think music channels are the worst for them as there’s something in all four corners of the screen!

[Vanilla Vip3r]

I remember when I first went to the USA in 2001 thinking programmes looked different with the DOG being in the bottom right hand side of the screen.

I think music channels are the worst for them as there’s something in all four corners of the screen!

I think it looks much better having the DOG in the bottom right corner. MTV US is a good example of this.

[This is UTV]

I don't have a problem with DOG's and never have done. Why BBC One/Two/Flim4 are the only major mainstream FTA channels which are totally dog free...just because they always have been (apart from the brief periods mentioned in early digital).

When it comes to DOG's, All I want and look for is consistency. All the same family of channels, with the same size of DOG, all in the same location. Sadly we don't really get this.

BBC THREE dog huge, Four super tiny and hard to see at times, Scotland and ALBA on the other side of the screen...no consistency. CBBC/Cbeebies still in full colour.

ITV has the CITV dog so much bigger than itv/2/3/4/be. Even UTV's last dog was bigger than the main channel. And why is the +1 dot on the main channel so much smaller compared to the +1 on 2/3/4/Be? Never been explained.

Then 5Spike had a much bigger dog than the rest of the channel family, and on the other side of the screen.

C4 have C4+1 on the right, with the previous C4+1 HD on the left. And the 4Music dog looks like the rest, but acts differently to the rest of the 4 family by fading in (well after the programme has started) and out (before the end of part before the break). A legacy of the old ownership days for the music channel which should have been sorted by now.

I suppose UKTV have the best consistency with their channels and DOG size/location. And Discovery's fta channels all have dogs which are in the same place and the graphics all act the same.