ITV (re) Branding and Number 2 -Reason (and Thomas Paine)

If I know anything about an industry it is probably broadcasting/media and as I have done a couple of dissertations around broadcast branding then a new logo from the major UK commercial broadcaster is bound to be of interest to me.
I had heard a month or so ago that ITV was introducing a new logo to reflect better the brand and positioning but only got sight of it yesterday.
Now as a logo I think it's not bad and it is perhaps of some significance that ITV 1 is losing the 1 but I'm not sure that it is going to make more than a very marginal change in the audience perception (perhaps slightly more with the advertisers and agencies though).

ITV (Independent Television)  has a history of over 60 years in the UK - although I think the 'independent' is something of a misnomer in that it is far from Independent  but it would be more accurate to call it "commercial licensed TV".
Now back to the new logo ITV has a challenge in that it wishes to reach a younger more affluent audience but remains a mass brand it has some chance of reaching the objectives with a multi channel strategy but this is at the risk of some cannibalisation of the main flagship ITV 1.
My question would be does the new logo answer the challenge?
My answer would be not to any significant degree - a strategy to grow a new younger audience would most likely require either an acquisition or launch of a new radical alternative to ITV (like BA did with Go).
ITV continues to battle with the past federal/regional system where there was limited channel choice and single TV per household rather than the current landscape which needs to confront the multiplicity of platforms and where YouTube/Amazon are making the running either now or very soon.

On a side note look how the other 'dinosaur' media  in terminal decline swipe at ITV efforts to reposition with the new logo
The Mail
and
The Mirror

Next topic from Crofton is reason...
# 2 Reason.

You might think this is a given as in modern times most of us live by what we think is 'reason'.
In fact what we consider as the primacy of reason using logic for Deduction (general to specific) and Induction (observation to generalisation) can be argued to be a relatively modern concept gifted to us during the period of enlightenment (also known as Age of Reason which was an influential book by Thomas Paine 1737 -1809).
Useful reference on Reason here.
Look at Paine's book here.

Philosophy (big Ideas in brief)

Big Ideas book

I bought Ian Crofton's book Big Ideas in brief today from Waterstone's  as I'd got some points/credit from their loyalty card it only cost me 97 pence. It's got 200 concepts and I'm going to reference one on each of my 200  posts  from now on (I hope)- starting with the first  Philosophy today.

#1 Philosophy

Interestingly Philosophy the  word has evolved from the Greek Philosophos Lover of Wisdom.
Pre -Socrates, (the father of modern Philosophy who wrote nothing down but who's thoughts are remembered by virtue of his student Plato's dialogues) Philosophy or Natural Philosophy was what we now know as Science. Since then it's split into many specialties/branches including ethics, logic and metaphysics and science has often gone it's own way.
If you have time look at  149 quotes from him here. (They're pretty good)

The Wikipedia entry on Socrates is informative and clearly identifies his use of dialogues to work through issues - it's commonly used in educational establishments to this day - take a look and you'll recognise elements I'm sure.

In other news I was intrigued by John Lloyd on Desert Island Discs and intend to get hold of Alan Watt's 'The book on the taboo on knowing who you are' in the near future (actually it's on-line here so might read it on my Playbook.)

Asparagus, planter and peas

Transplanted Asparagus

 Today I have been down to the allotment and continued with a bit of tidying up this included moving my scattered Asparagus (from seed) into one area I  gather that for best results the plants should be left to form lots of ferny foliage and that about now I need to cut down the stems leaving 5cm/2 inch stumps above the ground. I will do this on my next visit.

Peas with their sticks from Pear tree

 At home at the weekend gave the Pear tree it's autumn pruning - this involved cutting lots of straight twigs from the tree- they seem to me me to be of use as pea twigs on the peas I've planted out - time will tell.

Indoor Planting contraption

As I have not done too well with my herb growing I have decided to start a fresh batch indoors and am using this contraption from Robert Dyas for the propagation and will use for starting other plants through the year.

Plus points for Sainsbury's and AXA/Co-Op Bank

West Ealing Home of Toilet Discs

Get your review here

Toilet duck refill discs available at West Ealing Sainsbury's as they indicated which they said the would be,  well done to them.
Also able to give thumbs up for using the AXA financial review (I got it through Co-Op bank) which I had not been looking forward to, very good consultant who seemed happy with my financial position and actually didn't try to sell me another product.
For other users of PlayBook who are not aware there's a great tool called The Orb which helps with access to PC as well as replaying video and audio (you can use it with other PCs and devices too).