Children between the ages of 2 and 6 learn a lot in the years surrounding preschool: concepts of sharing, toilet training, colors. They learn their own names, the alphabet, how to count to 10.

The TV network Sprout, which caters to those kids and their families, is a bit older than that age group, but decided that its 10th birthday meant it was time for it to grow and evolve right alongside them.

Sprout, which used to fall under PBS’ umbrella, moved to NBC about two years ago, when it started to build up a slate of new programming, heralded now by Nina’s World, an animated series led by film legend Rita Moreno.

Jennifer Giddens, VP of marketing at Sprout, says the branding came at the time of a “perfect storm” for the network, when everything began falling together. Licensed programming was going away, originals were gaining steam and the network was beginning to redefine what they could offer these families.

“We’re still a network for preschoolers and their families,” said Giddens. “Everything at the core of our brand is still the same. We honed in, created more clear wording and imagery that reflects what we are now.”

Sprout brought on branding agency and strategic creative partner Oishii Creative, which imagined this on-air change in a series of original spots and IDs that celebrate kids, learning and imagination.

Oishii had just finished rebranding The Hub when approached by Sprout to help with this brand refresh, expanding on the trust the network had built with parents and families 10 years ago.

“The analogy we used was that Sprout was the same Sprout, it just went to summer camp and it came back with a new haircut, new clothes,” said Ismael Obregon, co-founder/chief creative officer at Oishii Creative. “But it’s still the same Sprout, just a little older and has more of a swagger now.”

At the core of its branding was a new tagline by Sprout, “Free to Grow,” a statement of encouragement for preschoolers as well as their families.

“’Free’ embodied this liberation statement that we feel like we’re seeing and feeling from consumers,” said Giddens. “It’s about this alleviation of pressure and being perfect at everything, but instead being free to do all the things that makes it enjoyable to be a preschooler or a family member of a preschooler.”

“Grow” was a way to welcome to grow along with Sprout, as both parents and kids, as well as a way to signal that the network would evolve as a brand as its audience does.

“The world of parenting and child rearing is so evolved now, we want to be mindful of whoever is there,” said Giddens. “We wanted to welcome everyone and say ‘Come be a part of the Sprout family.’”

Part of that welcome was a strategy with inspiration, celebration and finding the extraordinary in the ordinary at its core.

That last piece influenced much of Oishii’s creative elements, taking everyday objects, then combining animation and live action to blend the real with the imagination. Obregon, director of each spot, said a six-day shoot with 100 kids, a dog and pony did the trick.

The set of new IDs sent the message to parents that Sprout was a safe place, while sending the message to kids that Sprout is a safe place to play.

Spots like these were made to look not like traditional ad breaks, which kids are becoming less and less familiar with, but instead were considered to be a “continuation of a larger story,” said Obregon, as a way to welcome kids into the network’s conversation.

“Finding the extraordinary in the ordinary” and finding the beauty in mistakes were also at the core of Oishii’s creative, promoting a style that was “a little quirky, not technically ideal all the time,” said Obregon, saying that his team really took the tagline to heart in all of the refresh’s components.

The idents, on-air spots and digital aspects also combined live action, animation and modern design to reflect the technology-filled world that today’s preschoolers are living in and embracing.

“We have an array of multimedia in many forms,” said Obregon. “This is by design, understanding that networks are competing with apps, games and other activities, we wanted to portray and reflect all of that.”

Programming led the way with all of these ideals as well, with Nina’s World at the forefront.

The animated series is an extension of Sprout’s Goodnight Show, showing the character Nina as her six-year-old self exploring her neighborhood and her world with her family.

“Nina’s World resonated with everything happening in a positive way for us as a brand,” said Giddens. “Real-life learning that comes from it, appreciating multicultural environment and neighborhoods are all things that we believe in as a network.”

Sprout’s Nina’s World, Goodnight Show and Sunny Side Up will be joined by Terrific Trucks, a live-action series starring actual life-size trucks set to debut in 2016.

Sprout also recently brought on its first-ever Mom-Bassador, Alyssa Milano, who will help usher in the network’s new branding with insight on being a Sprout mom. Milano will be the voice of several spots on Sprout as well as the head of Kindness Counts, the network’s signature pro-social campaign that encourages everyday acts of kindness.

The Mom-Bassador’s role is meant to highlight and encourage co-viewing with preschoolers and their families, but a lot of the network’s branding is still actually aimed at the kids themselves.

“Even though it’s a kids network, we celebrate with them, not talk down to them,” said Obregon. “It’s serious business – with the stuff that kids know now, they deserve that respect. Growing up, there’s a lot you see on television that influence you now. We took that very seriously. What are the things we can influence in a great positive way? How can we reflect that visually?”

Sprout doubled down on that message, inviting families and imaginative kids to come play in a safe, encouraging place that is evolving and learning right alongside its viewers.

“We’re current, we’re fresh, we’re a modern brand that’s there alongside with families every single day,” Giddens added.

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