Roger Channels Its Inner Kid With Nickelodeon Rebrand Adland®

The motion language used in the new brand calls back to Nickelodeon’s classic animated style with a blend of traditional cel animation and modern 3D design. Bold and clean typography is layered on top, satisfying the client’s vision for a contemporary look and feel that honors its legacy as an iconic kids’ network.

Built around Nickelodeon’s signature orange, the new brand palette enters fresh territory with complementary gradients of purples, yellows, and pinks. Meanwhile, the typography taps into the brand’s irreverent DNA. Roger chose ROC Grotesk for its subtle irregularity and paired it with Neue Plak, which created contrast with its more condensed style. With the extensive style options within both font families, the brand would have a wide range of opportunities for evolution in the future.

“We aimed to infuse a sense of imagination and exploration into every deliverable and design choice in a quite literal sense, with elements reinventing themselves in real-time,” explains Wheeler. “It was a tightrope balance between eclectic and cohesive, but the modularity built into the system gives Nickelodeon the flexibility to play in their sandbox and build upon the brand for years to come as new IPs and initiatives are introduced. Flexibility was always at the forefront of our thinking.”

“As a kid, Nickelodeon was my go-to, and that went a long way in shaping my sense of humor and expanding my creativity,” concludes Lee. “From Rugrats to SpongeBob and Big Nate, they continue pushing the boundaries of kids’ entertainment. We’ve been working with Nickelodeon since our early days as a studio. There’s a shorthand that only comes with a longstanding relationship, and that ease of communication kept us in lockstep while brainstorming the new identity. It truly was a collaboration that couldn’t have happened without the strength of their in-house team. The Nick crew is top-notch, and that gave us full confidence that we could push the boundaries both creatively and technically. Above all… IT. WAS. SO. MUCH. FUN.”

With the design work created by Roger as its foundation, Nickelodeon’s rebrand campaign also features five brand films that depict the Splat as a gateway to surprising experiences, each featuring “Easter eggs” Nick kids of all ages will love; a new lineup of network IDs featuring Nickelodeon’s beloved IP that will debut throughout 2023, and an on the ground extension that will bring Slime-filled “We Make Fun” parties to 400 schools across the country as a “portal to summer.”

Client: Nickelodeon
EVP, Global Kids & Family Marketing: Sabrina Caluori
SVP, Global Creative: Vincent Aricco
Executive Producer: Danielle Jotham
SVP, Design & Motion: Michael Waldron

Branding & Design Agency: Roger
Executive Creative Director: Terence Lee
Creative Director: Braden Wheeler
Executive Producer: Josh Libitsky
Head of Production: Anne Pendola
Line Producer: Christian Kendrick
Post Producer: Tara Danna
Art Director: Rob Modini
Technical Director: Alex Van Dyne
Editor: Patrick Nagy