Acorn TV

Context

Reposition, redesign, and raise awareness for Acorn TV, a curated streaming service owned by AMC Networks offering intriguing, quality storytelling from Britain and Beyond.

Strategy

Develop a refined strategic, verbal, and visual identity that modernizes and draws attention to the brand while retaining the quirky, sophisticated character of its passionate fandom.

Solution

Post-refresh, Acorn TV has expanded into more than 30 countries, with an audience-focused strategy that has earned it one of the lowest churn rates of any streamer in the market today.

Creative Context

From the Best of Britain to Britain and Beyond.

For 20 years, Acorn TV has been importing entertainment from the U.K. to curious American audiences, first as a specialty online DVD service, and now as a curated streaming platform with a unique and fiercely devoted fandom. Our objective was to evolve the brand in preparation for a major international expansion, taking the opportunity to re-align the brand’s strategy, positioning, tone of voice, and visual identity for a new era of multi-genre, multinational content.

Brand Strategy

Reaching out to the ‘Inquisitive Adventurer’ in everyone.

After gathering input from stakeholders across the company—from show curators to social teams—we helped Acorn TV uncover a new identity focused on a sense of inquisitive, obsession-worthy adventure, leaning in on their British Mystery roots while empowering the platform to branch out into a wider, more demographically-diverse audience. The result is a look and feel that appeals to the script snobs, accent aficionados, and armchair detectives around the world.

Visual Identity

Acorn TV’s new look and feel plants a flag in an exciting new world of quality, cross-genre content.

An updated logo, color palette, and art deco-inspired typeface retain Acorn TV’s quirky, classic brand character while modernizing the service’s still-unfolding legacy across platforms. A new, adaptive flag device—nodding back to the platform’s international offering—acts as a dynamic showcase for Acorn TV originals, genres, marathons, and collections. A custom ‘A’ monogram further flexes the system for small OTT app icons and social thumbnails, resulting in an eye-catching, intuitive system that will help build brand attribution for years to come. We also developed music guidelines and campaign concepts for the service, working with Acorn TV’s marketing and social teams to experiment with new ways Acorn TV can express itself creatively into the future.