ITV Promotions (1989 Onwards)

Networked show promotions on ITV were one of the earliest places where a unified network identity appeared, even before the consolidation of the regional franchisees. In earlier days, the region which had produced a particular show for the network would often produce an accompanying trailer voiced by their own continuity team, but branded up as the more generic 'ITV' so it could be aired anywhere. Other regions then had the choice to remake complete trailers themselves, or just adapt what was supplied to add their own branding or voiceovers. However many, in particular smaller regions such as Tyne Tees, would just air them exactly as supplied to keep down costs. Various attempts were made to introduce a 'network' ITV promo style over the years, in particular after the introduction of the first 1989 ITV look. However as this still relied upon multiple regions following any guidelines and using the branding kits correctly, the consistency of what was put together for the network was patchy at best. This approach lasted through until 1998 when the majority of trailers started being produced by the Network Promotions Unit in London instead and a more consistent approach arrived - although some regions continued to add their own branding over the top of these for a few years longer until the fully unified 2002 ITV branding arrived.

ITV (Promo) - Christmas 1987

Prior to 1989, 'ITV' promo branding tended to be adhoc (if mentioned at all) and usually followed the house style of the region who'd produced it. Here Granada provide the Christmas 1987 trailer style for 'ITV', which was picked up and used by quite a few other regions that year. This same style was also heavily used for local presentation elements in the North West, with the background image being used in several other regions for their IVC backdrop. This particular promo gives a rundown of the evening's shows for Sunday December 27th.

ITV (Promo) - 1989

Early doors for the 1989 ITV corporate look, with a trailer from only the second day it had officially launched across the network (or at least for those who'd decided to take it) in September 1989. Notes from the Dundas 'Get Ready' theme feature, alongside graphics making up the ITV lettering, in one of the initial promo styles.

ITV (Promo) - 1989

Another promo showing more of the available new trailer graphics from the first week of the 1989 Generic ITV look launch, once again shown here on Thames.

ITV (Promo) - Christmas 1989

The first Christmas under the new IT\* generic look brought with it an entire kit of festive branding too as hopes were still high of it being a success at this point. Here an ITV branded promotion for just some of the highlights to come on the network over the festive season.

ITV (Promo) - 1990

A non-festive advert from throughout the first generic era, dating from 1990. In this particular trailer, it uses the ITV logo in the corner, however many of the adverts of that era didn't follow this pattern. Endboards tended to be designed adhoc too.

ITV (Promo) - 1990

Some very specific timings, poor font layout, and an awkwardly long hold at the end all feature in this brief ITV promo from 1990.

ITV (Promo) - Summer 1990

Another ITV programme promo from 1990, this time with additional summer holiday theming in place at the start and end of the promo. The particular trailer here was aired on Yorkshire, and looks to have been produced by them too - however it's unclear which other regions on the network took this style.

ITV (Promo) - New Year 1990

An animated network style for ITV to mark in the New Year crossover from 1990 to 1991. Here advertising a programme for New Year's Day 1991.

ITV (Promo) - 1991

A trailer from 1991 promoting the upcoming adaption of Great Expectations to the network. Most trailers from this era lacked any consistent network branding style, depending very much upon which region had originally produced it.

ITV (Promo) - Christmas 1991

A promo showing the network festive trailer style for 1991. Although it was still up to individual regions whether they took these trailers or not, at the time most of them would.

ITV (Promo) - 1992

A short promo from 1992... and as it's getting further from the original 1989 introduction of the generic ITV brand, the use of it is becoming even more sporadic. The ITV logo not even appearing throughout most of the trailer here.

ITV (Promo) - Christmas 1992

Still in the early days of their takeover, and Yorkshire were generally topping-and-tailing network branded trailers with additional regional branding for either Tyne Tees or YTV. However as Yorkshire fed out a single branded Night Shift service overnight, trailers shown in the overnight slots would have the regional parts replaced with a generic 'ITV' brand. Also of note, the entire trailer theme is based off The Darling Buds of May, which did have a Christmas Special on that year, but is not referenced at all in this particular trailer.

ITV (Promo) - 1993

Another attempt to bring a consistent trailer style popped up in early 1993, although small variations would still creep in depending on the region producing the trailer for the network. The ITV logo now appears rendered in a black oblong, as would details such as dates and times usually, alongside a line of coloured blocks on the endboard. This same palette of colours was also then used to add a splash of life to surreal art filmed segments that would appear at the start of the promos. Yorkshire Television in particular made heavy use of this package, adapting it for use on other locally branded pres elements in early 1993 too. Blue and Red are used alongside a crime scene here, appropriately to promote The Bill.

ITV (Promo) - 1993

Introducing entertainment show Blind Date here, the colours lime and pink are used this time, alongside a ballerina.

ITV (Promo) - 1993

The colours green and purple, and a man shaving himself feature as the wraparound to another trailer in the 1993 ITV promo style. Here promoting Barrymore.

ITV (Promo) - 1993

March 1993, and unsurprisingly not all LWT produced promos are perfectly following the ITV trailer style. Here in a promo for The South Bank Show, the internal graphics are all still in style, but the opening film and standardised endboard style are not to be seen.

ITV (Promo) - 1994

Not long before most of the regions would begin revoicing and rebranding their trailers themselves, trailers produced for the network had lost much of the ITV branding again. Here Trish at LWT voices a network promo for the final episode of their sitcom Second Thoughts featuring James Bolam and the late Lynda Bellingham with no branding in sight.

ITV (Promo) - Early 1998

Shortly before Channel 3 North East brand was dropped, ITV branded trailers made a return to screens across GMG North. Very shortly after the Granada takeover, although promos were generally still voiced locally in Leeds, the decision was made to stop branding up multiple copies for each region for network shows and instead single brand them as 'ITV' across all of their Northern stations. Regional shows continued to have the regional name applied. This approach was ahead of the more joined up nationwide change as the ITV Network Promotions Unit would be formed in London later that year. A stencilled ITV logo was used on the top right by GMG, although endboards were still very inconsistent.

ITV (Promo) - Late 1998

Further into 1998, and the stencil-effect was dropped for a completely white logo in the top left. An attempt at a standardised endboard is also in use, although the style for these still tended to change often.

ITV (Millionaire Promo) - 1998

A promo from 1998 for the first series of a show which would go on to become a phenomenal ratings success for ITV for some years to follow - Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

ITV (Promo - What's New At Ten) - 1999

From the first week of the controversial move of the ITV News to 11pm, ITV are on the charm offensive to convince you of the amazing new programming this will bring you to the 10pm slot. Trailers are adorned with special 'What's New At Ten' branding.

ITV (Promo - What's New At Ten) - 1999

Incase you were worried ITV were only bringing out top blockbuster drama for the newly vacant News At Ten slot, another trailer from that first week of the Nightly News reminding you of some of the new trashy shows you could find in the ten slot. With a very young Alan Davies appearing.

ITV (Promo) - Christmas 1999

An extended playout of ITV's Christmas 1999 promo sting to lead into a trailer for Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. For Christmas 1999, the National Promotions Unit in London used a fairy shaped tag character as their mascot. This same character was also added to the hearts idents in several regions, with the hearts package only having launched a month earlier.

ITV (Year of Promise Promo) - 2000

A trailer for ITV's Year of Promise, broadcast early in 2000. Year of Promise was ITV's way of celebrating the Millennium with the idea being to encourage people to make lasting pledges of changes they would make or things they would do that could improve things for others. With a backing from a wide range of companies, ITV made a big push for the campaign initially. However whilst well-meaning, the idea ultimately flopped, with the public not really understanding the idea and instead mistaking it as just another charity telethon fundraiser. The campaign was downplayed quite quickly by ITV as 2000 went on, and very few of the 'permanent monuments' that were planned to be erected around the country survive today.

ITV (Promo) - 2001

With the introduction of the new lowercase ITV logo and initial hearts branding towards the end of 1998, the stencil-effect returned as part of the new NPU trailer style. Although the positioning of the logo remained consistent for several years after this, the endboard style would be updated several times. This promo is an example from 2001, for one of Barrymore's late shows before his fall from fame for ITV.

ITV1 (Promo) - 2001

ITV1 (Sports Promo) - 2001

ITV1 (Football Promo) - 2001

Another promo from the very early days of the ITV1 rebrand of August 2001, once again focusing on their flagship sporting acquisition of the time. Namely Premier League Football Highlights, which they initially planned to show in primetime, this time also mentioning a raft of other shows hanging off the back of this.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2001

The first Christmas promo style after the ITV1 rename in 2001 featured an animated Eskimo and stars dancing around the screen. A generic ITV1 ident basic off the same graphics package was also produced by the NPU in London, but ultimately only ended being used across the GMG North stations that year.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2001

An alternative intro to this Christmas 2001 promo from ITV1. The Eskimo animation is similar, only this time with different sounds, and a lack of the word 'Christmas'.

ITV1 (Promo - Lineup) - Christmas 2001

Trish from LWT provides the whole network with their Christmas Eve rundown in another festively branded trailer from Christmas 2001.

ITV (IACGMOOH Promo) - 2002

An ITV promo from the very first series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in August 2002 - a show which would go on to become a staple of the autumn schedule on the channel for the next few decades.

ITV1 (Promo - Blind Date) - 2002

In January 2003, the late Cilla Black famously quit Blind Date live on air, later stating she hadn't been happy with some of the changes they were making to the show. This promo for the final ITV series, aired here on October 16th 2002, gives a little insight of the direction they'd gone during what was a particularly trashy era for the network.

ITV1 (Promo) - 2002

The promotion style on ITV1 after the October 2002 rebrand and centralisation of presentation in London.

ITV1 (Promo) - 2002

Another ITV1 advert, shown just before 1pm on the first day of the centralised ITV celebrity look, and giving us a look at the new endboard.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2002

The lacklustre re-edit done to the idents for the first Christmas post-centralisation may have looked awful. However ITV had some nicely done graphics in use on the promos. This is a typical example with the reindeer.... looking at those damn shooting stars again!

ITV1 (Promo) - 2004

The updated 2003-2004 promo style for ITV features more of the glassy squares. A 'New For 2004' graphic also features at the very start of this trailer, due to its airdate early in January 2004, although the rest of the trailer otherwise follows the house style from the era.

ITV (This Morning Promo) - 2004

Piers Morgan crosses ITV breakfast shows, in an early appearance on This Morning. A trailer here promoting the show, devoid of any ITV branding as was common style for the daytime shows on the channel.

ITV1 (Promo) - November 2004

An example of the updated trailer style after the 2004 rebrand for ITV1. Not all that much has changed, apart from the endboard.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2004

An example of the festive promo style for Christmas 2004. The first in the post-celeb era for ITV1, and instead of celebrities you have a small bunch of animated characters in the ITV1 colours.

ITV50 (Promo) - September 2005

A special ITV50 branded trailer, used as part of ITV's 50th anniversary celebrations. Similar to the ident, the trailer style looked like it had been designed during the earlier celeb look, departing from the separated ITV logo that had been introduced in 2004.

ITV1 (Promo) - 2006

Another full scale rebrand and logo for ITV1 in 2006 brought with it another brand new trailer style. Shown here promoting 'Holiday Showdown'.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2006

Some small festive tweaks to the yellow ITV1 trailer style were also made for Christmas 2006.

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2008

Programme promotions on ITV1 are given some similar festive sparkle.

ITV1 HD (Promo) - 2010

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2011

ITV1 (Promo) - Christmas 2012

The trailer style for Christmas 2012 features some of the same clockwork themeing and the gold ITV1 logo that were in use on the main idents for that year. This was also to be the last Christmas before yet another full ITV rebrand.

ITV (Promo) - 2017

2013 saw another new logo for ITV, and an accompanying update to the trailer style. In 2017, ITV tweaked their existing promotions to see the endboard text enlarged. Possibly for the benefits of more legible thumbnails in online sharing, or possibly for those people watching ITV on the television across the street.

ITV (Promo) - 2019

Other presentation elements on ITV took on a 'paper cutout' effect from January 1st 2019. An example of the updated trailer style from this date, using a red and grey stack of cards.

ITV (Promo) - 2019

A purple and grey stack of cards in another promo, here for the return of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Acknowledgements

ITV - http://www.itv.com

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