I had the awesome opportunity to be a part of the branding of the new Esquire network. It was a really fun process, working closely with the team over at NBC Universal to arrive at a clean, elegant, and masculine approach. I got to work on this project from concept to production, and it was really cool to see the whole thing through to the end.
 
Music: RJD2 - 'Let There Be Horns'
Studio: Capacity
Client: Esquire Network
Design/Art Direction: Stephen Panicara, Ellerey Gave
Animation: Stephen Panicara
Creative Director: Ellerey Gave
PROCESS:
 
Before it became the Esquire Network, the channel was actually going to be rebrand of the videogame-themed channel G4. We were asked to help build this new vision of the channel from the ground up. They wanted it to have a male-centric point of view, but rather than becoming another macho cliche, they wanted it to be sophisticated, witty, and approachable. Everything that we developed along the way eventually helped to shape the Esquire Network, but there were a few concepts that we had to leave behind once Esquire entered the picture.
 
In early development, I came up with a logo treatment established a sophisticated personality without taking itself too seriously. It also offered up endless possibilities that were always tied directly to the channels content, so that everything felt like a cohesive brand. The 'G' would always be accompanied by four show-related images, and would then would animate into the new G Four logo. We had a lot of fun coming up with some examples of this approach...
Parks & Recreation
James Bond marathon
American Ninja Warrior
Parks & Recreation again
Party Down
There was also the idea of creating a 'signature series,' highlighting men that are exceptional at their craft. Each craftsman would create a 'G' out of their particular medium, and we would shoot the process and use it to create a small branding segment. To illustrate this idea, we collaborated with Spindle Pilot in creating a giant 'G' out of wood.
Then created a hypothetical sequence of how it would be used.
Here, in no particular order, are some other early frames and ideas, that helped to develop where we ended up going with the brand.