BET debuts new logo, branding for first time since 2005
The new logo debuted just in time for Sunday night's BET Awards and represents "a pivotal shift" for the 40-year-old brand
BET has gotten a facelift. The esteemed network debuted its brand new logo ahead of Sunday night’s BET Awards, marking the first branding change for the network since 2005.
The new logo helps usher the brand into a brand new era and is being described by BET as “a pivotal shift for our brand and a commemoration of our 40-year legacy of Black excellence.” The new logo reflects the present moment in entertainment, with the B and E carrying the first line and the T and star supporting the second.
The star will change into a plus sign depending on whether the programming is on the proper BET channel or their streaming service, BET Plus.
The exec VP and chief brand officer for BET, Kimberly Paige, shared a statement to Variety along with the exciting news. She revealed, “The Black consumer has recently become one of the most coveted audience segments; we are thrilled for brands to begin to see what BET has known all throughout our 40 year history.”
“It was time to leverage the brand equity we have built throughout the years to re-envision how we show up as the only brand that represents the fullness of the Black experience,” she continued. “For us, this is no standard brand evolution, it is a brand revolution, in solidarity with the cultural shifts driven by the Black community.”
Per Variety‘s report, the new logo is a result of “rigorous testing among consumers and gathering data and feedback from focus groups.” Paige shared, “This opened up a world of possibilities as we sought to reimagine how to visualize our brand in a way that reflects this new era, both for BET and for the Black community.”
The concept for the new branding? Paige shares it was called “Black Canvas.” Paige explained, “This conceptual territory positions BET as the destination for all forms of Black creative expression. It all happens here. Black creators. Black talent. And the BET audience. They all come together in this one place. A blank, Black canvas where anything can happen.”
The new logo came at a perfect time as the 2021 BET Awards aired Sunday night. The show was filled with plenty of memorable performances and tributes for the culture, from Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Nas X, and more.
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