Passion in the AXN rebrand

The Asia-based branch of television channel AXN has undergone a major rebrand as its owners, Sony Pictures Television, seek to diversify the channel’s portfolio away from its action genre.

Visually, the rebrand will include renewed graphic elements, a new logo and a refreshed marketing campaign imbued with a new colour scheme. The business is also shifting towards an attempt to be defined more by attitude rather than genre. Its new slogan ‘Redefining action’ textually underpins this new, less rigid, visual identity while cementing the place of AXN as a premier television channel.

The new look, while aligned with this renewed programming sensibility, is also an attempt to reach out to a customer base increasingly defined by its presence on social media.

AXN have developed a new custom-built avante garde typeface for the logo. Its white font over red background has been replaced with a bolder, less bright design; the red has been retained, however, in a small pyramid beneath the ‘N’.

 Maurizio Vitale, senior vice president of marketing networks for Sony Pictures Entertainment, who oversaw the network’s brand refresh globally, says, “Red evokes energy, action, passion and danger. We are harnessing the power of that colour in a new campaign that encourages viewers to discover and embrace the sense of fearlessness that permeates AXN’s series.”

The new push toward evoking emotions as well as gaining viewers through gripping programmes is part of a new sensibility in the modern digital age. Hui Keng Ang, senior vice president and general manager at Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia, explains,“While AXN continues to be the pay TV destination for action, we are also tapping into an audience seeking content filled with intrigue, passion and heroes.”