‘A clear signal of discontinuity’: MSNBC’s big brand change
MSNBC announced it will soon become MS NOW, which stands for 'My Source (for) News, Opinion (and the) World'.
The classic peacock is nowhere to be seen, and there's a familiar flag flying proudly on the new logo. Moensie Rossier, strategy director at Principals, explores the new brand identity.
The rebranding of MSNBC to MS NOW is a chance for a brand reset, and to imbue the updated name MSNOW with new meaning. The current name reflects a historical partnership with Microsoft that no longer exists.
And the owner Comcast is creating a new architecture, separating many NBCUniversal cable networks (to be part of the new company Versant) from its Peacock streaming services, which will carry the peacock branding device.
MSNOW’s loss of a famous distinctive asset, the peacock, on the face of it seems a costly branding issue.
Out with the old, in with the NOW.
Brands with high-quality brand identities, with distinctive brand assets, don’t just get noticed—they get chosen.
Logos, colours, shapes, and characters act as mental shortcuts, increasing speed of recognition and ease of choice.
According to research by the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, brands with highly recognisable assets are up to 52% more likely to be recalled unprompted.
The loss of the peacock is a clear signal of discontinuity. It underlines change and separation from the NBC family. The challenge will be to clarify what is and isn’t changing both externally and internally.
MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler said, “While our name will be changing, who we are and what we do will not.” This suggests the editorial stance will not shift significantly.
However, everything about the new brand suggests creating distance from a left-leaning brand perception. The proposed blue and red brand identity is literally flying the flag. I can’t imagine that’s not deliberate. Of course, the flag is for all of America, but no one wields it more powerfully or with more symbolism than the President.
Is this branding path intended to steer away from the President’s – and his many followers’ – shit list?
Moensie Rossier
There will also be a big role for the brand internally, with the recruitment of nearly a hundred roles in preparation for the separation. LinkedIn data indicates that 88% of job seekers consider a company’s brand when applying for a job.
The employer brand story will be an intriguing one. Perhaps a story of walking the line?
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