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Panamanian channel TVMAX‘s new rebrand aligns the channel’s focus on sports with its entertaining content, through an emphasis on “viewer’s freedom to express themselves on our screens,” according to Armando Guerra, creative director of TVN Media, which includes TVMAX and TVN Panamá.
TVMAX’s rebranding follows TVN Panamá’s recent branding campaign that invites viewers to live life to the fullest through new content, new personalities and new sets packed with Panamanian flavor.
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TVMAX’s rebrand comes after 11 years of broadcasting. Aimed at an adult audience, the channel was originally conceived as an alternative for sports and entertainment. TVMAX’s sports offerings have grown significantly over the years.
TVMAX’s intention is to “rethink and rebrand, rather to refresh,” while seeking to balance its sports and entertainment offerings while focusing on its audience of adults aged 18 to 35.
Guerra realized that “cable TV has a great power for sports,” and that nationally “sports were gaining momentum, while entertainment today is more important than it was 11 years ago. People now need to express themselves more than they did yesterday.”
The new strategy does not abandon sports, but further reinforces entertainment “with an emphasis on viewers’ freedom to express themselves on our screens. This is why we wanted to modernize the brand,” says Guerra.
The main concept of the campaign is freedom: freedom to do, freedom to belong, freedom to dare to do new things and, above all, freedom to be oneself.
According to Guerra, this concept was reached through an internal process of design thinking, in which the channel’s model was redesigned. The channel also conducted perception research and studies regarding brand and content.
“They both shed a light on the direction to take,” he says, adding that working with Argentine design studio Steinbranding was central to the result.
Guerra explains this change of identity is “not a cosmetic change, but rather a deep change, that touches the channels’ heart,” and which comprises a change in the programming schedule with more local productions, the incorporation of new talent and change of image. This includes a new logo, new tagline, new music and the redesign of the entire promotional concept, including the institutional voice.
The new logo symbolizes a type of communication that is open and free, to further empathize and connect with the audience. To this aim, the team turned to a wider, less masculine and more modern color range to align with the campaign’s concept of freedom.
As for the promotional pieces, Guerra says the campaign’s goal is to “demonstrate the freedom viewers experience when they come into contact with the brand.”
TVMAX’s team is working relentlessly with its talent to add new pieces such as in-show promos, IDs on social networks and on-air brand pieces, “because the talent is what brings the brand to life; they walk and talk with the people,” he says.
All of the channel’s promos are built around the word “full,” which acts as a marketing hook for the campaign’s values of living life to the fullest, calling on the viewer to “dare to be full” with “full adrenaline” and “full party,” appealing to a channel that is “full of freedom” and “full of inspiration.”
The campaign will be maintained over time with other pieces intended to “highlight this brand life within the viewer’s life,” says Guerra.
TVMAX’s program schedule has changed significantly since the beginning of the year. TVMAX created new slots and purchased new content to compete with other Panamanian channels. The strengthened production team also has been creating content on local topics, focusing on humor, lifestyle, music and fashion.
An example of this new material is Suelta el Wichi, a national showbiz program that illustrates the fusion of sports and entertainment.
There is also a new project Series en nuestra lengua (Series in our Language), which airs Spanish series such as El tiempo entre costuras (The time in between).
Guerra affirms there also has been a change regarding TVMAX’s sports programs.
“From the point of view of entertainment, we are focusing on local sports, with its heroes and achievements, although without abandoning international sports.”
DXT is an example of this. The program features a female host who comments on different national and international disciplines. Promos for this new series point to a new way of seeing sports in Panama and in the world.
Aread 507 is another sports program that aligns with the rebrand. Hosted by Olympic athlete Irvin Saladino, the series addresses individual sports and health related issues.
All in all, the new TVMAX is looking to get younger, more dynamic, more interactive and “full” of attitude.
RELATED: El Rebranding de TVMAX Recupera el Equilibrio Entre Deportes y Entretenimiento (Version Español)
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