A new identity for Canal Extremadura's next twenty years

Canal Extremadura unveiled the first rebranding of its corporate identity in twenty years of history on 27 April. It was not simply a change of logo; it was a statement of intent, a promise of renewal designed to preserve its public-service mission for at least another 20 years.

The change also arrived on the very same day that our OTT platform was officially launched under its definitive brand, allowing audiences to watch television live, listen to the radio, catch up on any programme or enjoy content from the largest audiovisual catalogue in Extremadura.

The challenge

A regional public broadcaster faces the challenge of securing its future on two fronts at once: remaining recognisable to those who have been watching it for twenty years, while becoming relevant and recognisable to those who have never tuned in before. Both fronts point towards the same objective: continuing to be useful to the people of Extremadura as an essential public service.

The previous visual identity, together with the overall brand concept, had accompanied the organisation throughout its entire history, from its launch in late 2005. Changing it meant touching the one thing audiences recognise instinctively, and doing so without breaking that connection, particularly in the case of a logo that was already familiar to almost everyone in Extremadura.

The brief was not about changing a few colours or drawing a new logo. It was about defining what Canal Extremadura is today, with television, radio and digital media previously operating with their own separate identities, and bringing them together into a single global media brand with a clearly defined purpose.

What we did

We began by analysing the kind of media organisation we had been over the previous 20 years, how we saw ourselves and how the people of Extremadura perceived us.

From there, we defined our brand archetype around the idea of being a brand that matters: a brand that accompanies people, without unnecessary noise or grandstanding, through usefulness and relevance. It was a positioning that felt right for us, and from that foundation we designed what we wanted to become and how we wanted to communicate it.

We then built an identity that communicates something before anyone has even read a word.

• An “E” formed by three elements: television, radio and digital media. It also represents the three generations the organisation aims to reach.

• An “X” that positions Canal Extremadura as a meeting point, the place where everything converges.

• A claim, “Crecemos juntos” (“We grow together”), that expresses a commitment to accompany people, rather than simply broadcast to them.

Behind the symbol are three ideas that guide every decision: usefulness, because we are a public service focused on what matters; excellence, because what we do is made in Extremadura and contributes to its prosperity; and trust, through our ability to turn everyday life into something memorable.

The “E” symbol therefore also evokes our three media areas — digital, television and radio — alongside the three generations we want to reach. The “X” marks a meeting point and represents the place where we aim to document Extremadura’s growth as a society.

EXPlay, the vehicle

This promise of growth needs somewhere to become a reality, and that place is EXPlay.

The on-demand content platform is the part of the transformation that changes habits rather than just the logo. It embodies the need to invest in digital media and adapt to new ways of consuming content.

Because a regional broadcaster is no longer competing only with other regional broadcasters. It is competing for everyone’s screen time against platforms that have spent years teaching audiences to consume content whenever they want — including social media. EXPlay is our answer to that shift: moving from broadcasting at a specific time to being available at any time.

It is available on iOS, Android and the web, as well as on Android TV, Samsung, LG, Titan OS and HbbTV televisions, alongside other platforms such as Fire TV Stick, Roku and Apple TV.

The team

Behind this transformation was a long process that began with a complex tender and continued through our work with an outstanding branding agency, Brand in Action, led by Rafa Moral, a creative director who is, without question, one of the best people this stage of my career has brought into my life. Working alongside him has been a masterclass in itself, and I will always be grateful for everything he has taught me. Alongside him was an exceptional team of professionals and creatives, including Guillermo, the driving force behind the entire visual side of the project.

A project like this also had to involve every department at Canal Extremadura. Playing an active and essential role were Rocío Gavira, Strategic Director of Content and Media; Dámaso Castellote, Director General; Luis Miguel López and María Hurtado, Directors of Television and Radio Programming; and Álvaro Seguro, Head of Production, together with Arturo Chaves, Head of Digital Media and Social Networks, who brought a strong creative vision to the project.

There is still a long road ahead. But the commitment is already there, written down and visible for everyone to see: to continue accompanying the people of Extremadura for at least another twenty years.

All of this has been documented in a comprehensive visual identity and brand positioning manual.