MTV Classic Launch and Brand Kit
The Ask: In celebration of MTV’s 35th birthday, it was decided that VH1 Classic would be rebranded into MTV Classic. While the content of the channel would be much the same, primarily showing themed blocks of retro music videos from the 1980s–early 2000s, strategically, it was hoped that hype and nostalgia around MTV’s iconic August 1, 2016 35th birthday would raise the network’s profile and viewership. Additionally, MTV Classic would dig deeper into the greatest hits of the MTV content vaults, surfacing concert specials, original programming from its 90s–early aughts heyday, and even a broader slate of music videos, to boost the channel’s appeal, subscribership, and buzz.
With this brief and strategy in mind, the creative team set about crafting an on-air and social (re)launch campaign and a fresh brand identity kit, drawing from MTV’s classic hand-animated interstitials and IDs, as well as a blend of retro and of-the-moment video and animation styles. This approach resulted in a potent mix of the fresh and familiar, contrasting tactile and ethereal elements to evoke a very on-brand blast of ecstatic nostalgia.
Role: Art director, designer, illustrator, animator
The Outcome:
• MTV Classic launched exactly 35 years to the day as the original MTV, with a campaign that made a major splash on social media and entertainment media outlets.
• Viewership immediately increased from the VH1 Classic version of the channel, and the comprehensive on-air and brand toolkit are still very much in use as of Q4 2024.
• Strictly personally, it was an absolute blast to get to play around with all that archival content and the freewheeling animation and design style we created for this package.
The expansive MTV Classic Brand Tool Kit is still in use today.
Ted McGrath: Art Direction, Design, Illustration, Animation
Ana Sanchez: Creative Direction, Design
Bennet Williams: Art Direction, Design, Illustration