TORONTO – OLN unveiled a bold new logo and on-air look Thursday, extending the new OLN branding from the States to Canada. 
The new-look logo features the network’s call letters, OLN, in white on a bold, red background. “As part of the overall re-branding campaign, the new look emphasizes the acronym OLN and reflects the rugged and adventurous spirit of the channel. Complete elements from the re-branding campaign, which Canadian viewers sampled throughout the 2005 Tour de France, will roll out across the network beginning (Thursday),” said the release.
On-air elements such as event graphics, lower third graphics, program packaging and off-air elements, including advertising, will reflect this new direction.
OLN is adapting the visual elements developed and launched for OLN U.S. earlier this summer, adds the release. Several agencies contributed to OLN’s new look, including Bird Design from California, who was responsible for the creative concepts, strategy and design. Fuel, based in New York, executed the animations. OLN image spots and series-promos specific to OLN Canada were created in-house by Dan Kovacic, OLN’s promotion producer and art director.
The direction OLN is not allowed to follow its U.S. cousin is the American channel’s push into professional sports such as hockey and football. (Comcast-owned OLN U.S. has signed a broadcast deal with the National Hockey League and is said to be the front-runner in acquiring Thursday night National Football League rights for next season). OLN in Canada faces regulatory restrictions that would prohibit it from airing that type of programming here.
OLN Canada is controlled by CTV Inc., a division of Bell Globemedia.
