ESPN’s New Opening Animation is a Window into the Brand’s Next Era

ESPN might have the most recognizable brand in the media world. Whether it's that classic red, black, and white color scheme, or the decades-old earworm of SportsCenter's "DaDaDa, DaDaDa" theme, fans know exactly what they're getting into when they encounter ESPN.

So it might come as something of a surprise that beginning today, ESPN is unveiling a brand new opening logo animation for connected TV devices.

ESPN's new connected TV opening animation

ESPN fans will encounter this animation whenever they enter the ESPN app experience on a connected television. While the animation is new, it carries a strong connection to the brand fans know and love. The big bold letters and echoes of that sound signature are still there, alongside a fresh display with added colors and a new sonic environment.

"We wanted to convey that ESPN is more than a network but a vibrant connection to the emotion of sports and a hub of high-quality sports entertainment," Donny Guy, VP of Product Design for Sports and ESPN, said.

Whether it's on ESPN.com, the ESPN app, or on social media, fans encounter ESPN in many ways beyond the TV network. Because of all those new access points for fans, the team was tasked with creating a new introduction that "reflects the dynamic and innovative spirit of ESPN," Guy said.

Beyond that, the task was also to create "an animation that feels both distinctively ESPN and part of the larger Disney family," Guy said. So, when diving into the creative process, the team used inspiration from other Walt Disney Company digital platforms like Disney+, Marvel, Star Wars, and Hulu.

Guy joined in on a collaboration already underway at ESPN's Creative Studio, where Heather Donahue is Sr. Creative Director on design, and Claude Mitchell is the Coordinating Director of Music.

Together, their teams were able to create the new opening animation that would let fans know that they're about to engage with the preeminent digital platform for sports fans.

"We wanted the ESPN brand to show up as a premium experience," Donahue said.

Viewers will notice that the animation now includes a spectrum of colors around the classic black ESPN logo. The choice to incorporate more than the core brand colors was to subtly reflect the reach and depth of the ESPN brand. "The movement of the light behind the ESPN logo represents all the triumphant moments in sports arenas and stadiums," Donahue explained.

Figuring out how to perfectly represent that took experimentation - leading to the creation of over 40 iterations of the animation. The motion and the way the light radiates around the logo were further refined to ensure they load properly on all platforms.

This video shows the iterative process leading to the final product

Mitchell's team at first tried sounds that either had no relation to the SportsCenter theme or used other sections of the theme. However, they ultimately decided to return "to the classic mnemonic ID," Mitchell explained. "It is so synonymous with ESPN, we had to find a way to bring it forward in the streaming world."

"The 'Ping' makes the viewer look up and the 'DaDaDa' ushers them in for a premium ESPN Experience," Mitchell explained.

The fully finished product is a new signature, designed with versatility in mind. It can eventually be used across various ESPN platforms like mobile and web experiences, and even on-air promotions. "The goal is to create a consistent and recognizable brand experience," Guy said, "regardless of where our audience engages with ESPN content."

It also aligns with the visual and auditory sophistication that viewers can see on display in the section tiles on Disney+, like Marvel, Star Wars, and Hulu.

ESPN is continuing to evolve as a brand, as it works towards ushering in a new era with its upcoming flagship direct-to-consumer platform.

"I see the animation as the beginning of how we are redefining the ESPN brand to elevate it consistently across our platforms," Donahue said

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