Five

Jan 23 2006 to Oct 6 2008 idents

Visuals: Depends on the ident, but they all involve a 4-letter word in the same style as the Five logo.

Later Variant: In January 2007, select idents were amended to have the Five logo itself in place of the random words.

Variants: Original set:

Fast: - There is some grayhound dogs chasing after the word "Fast" on a track.
Fear: - Someone opens a door which has a long corridor drowning forward. The word "Fear" is formed by the spirits.
Free: - In the blue sky, several white balloons are released, some of them forming the word "Free".
Hope: - At a Casino, someone throws two dice onto the board, passing by and landing at the word "Hope". Casino Chips are placed down.
Life: - We are rising the horizon, and as the lights switch on, the word "Life" is formed through them.
Live - On a rainy day, lightning strikes up in the sky, with the word "Live" being formed in the lightning.
Rush - A skydiver launches himself down from a plane, falling down near a field spelling the word "Rush".
Easy - The logo zooms out of a ladybird to see a park scene where people are relaxing, and forming the word easy.
Feel - In a car, there is a family taking a drive down the countryside. One of the woman opens out their window to see the sky with the word "Feel" formed in the clouds.
Play - Someone dives into a pool and rise out of it as someone pushes another person off an inflatable with the word "Play" printed onto it.
Risk - A person riding a horse bucks around the dirt, forming the word "Risk".

2006 - Five urged viewers to "Give" to help support five charities - Shelter, Crisis, Centrepoint, Nightstop UK and Emmaus UK. There was a single ident, but the first two screens were different. Either a scarecrow and some bikes or a pine tree and a postbox are lit up with Christmas lights. This soon cuts to a boat which lights to to reveal the word "give" on it. Then, the scene transitions to a train bridge lighting up, and as the train rolls by, the "five" logo is formed in lights in the night sky.

On Monday 6th October 2008, Five gets a new logo. The new on-air identity was developed by Dixon Baxi.

Nol Davis, Five’s Head of Creative Services, said “The new on-air identity reflects a constantly evolving, energetic and enthusiastic brand and tone of voice. There is real synergy on and off air which reflects a true collaboration between all our creative services and agencies.”

Carl Ratcliff, Five’s Head of Brand Strategy and Marketing, said “We feel this new work is closer to the truth of the brand. Playfulness and colour sit at the heart of this new identity.”

According to Media Week: "Five has also changed the way it runs promotions and idents around ad breaks and programmes. It has broken its usual one promotional spot between programmes into two parts called "brand bursts" and "content bursts".

The brand bursts will start rather than finish with the station's logo and then go straight into the next programme.

The content bursts are 10 seconds long and will be related to TV shows, but won't necessarily use content from them."

Idents:

Park Duel: The first ident, featuring invisible superheros fighting in the garden.

Containers Duel: The superheros are back, fighting in the by some containers.

Accordion: Shopping trolleys in a Sainsbury's car park are used as an accordion.

Gas Drums: Two cranes come in handy as drum sticks in this little ident, as gas storage tanks get used as drums.

Guitar: A busy road gets turned into a guitar, causing a crash or two.

Food Chain: Starting off with a jelly fish, but who's the top of the food chain?

Night Life: A journey where we see taxis, lights and deer.

Fly: A drawn cat tries to join the dots to finish his legs, until he swots a fly.

Sneeze: A girl has a little sneeze, and sneezes up a bouquet of flowers

Love Story: A little love story forms, cut out of the pages of a magazine.

Turf War: A story of hate, and things get a bit nasty, with explosions

Jelly World: The world appears to have turned to jelly...

Generic: A simple animated ident for before the news.

Fibre: A nice animated ident for before the news.

Color Love: Another nice animated ident for before the news.

Human Paint: Some swirly paint in another pre-news ident.

Write a forum conversation on Aug 22 2009 saying since around the 9th they removed most of the idents

Forum Thread Topic: "Five Idents Being Removed?"

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 9:15 AM]:
Hey everyone, has anyone else noticed that since around the 9th of this month, most of Five's idents have disappeared? I’ve only been seeing the generic ones lately – like those simple animations before the news. What happened to the others? The creative ones like Park Duel and Jelly World were so much better!

User2 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:02 AM]:
Yeah, I’ve noticed too! It’s a shame, those super innovative ones really gave the channel a unique feel. I loved Night Life and Accordion! They’ve been replaced by more plain and boring animations. Maybe they're cutting costs?

User3 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:45 AM]:
I wonder if they just phased them out because they weren’t matching their newer branding direction? If I remember, back in late 2008 they did a full brand refresh with Dixon Baxi – that’s when we got the superhero idents, right? But now it feels like they’ve abandoned the more creative ones entirely. 😢

User4 [Aug 22, 2009, 11:12 AM]:
I miss Turf War! That one was so epic! I don’t get why Five would ditch them – they made the channel stand out. Maybe they’re planning a revamp and these generic ones are just fillers until they roll something new out?

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 11:30 AM]:
I hope that’s the case, User4, but honestly, it feels like they’re not prioritizing idents anymore. I read somewhere that they’re focusing more on "content bursts" and those mini promo clips between shows – maybe that’s where their resources are going now? Still, doesn’t explain getting rid of so many great ones like Fly and Love Story.

User5 [Aug 22, 2009, 12:00 PM]:
It’s frustrating! Five was doing something truly different compared to the other channels. I miss the ones from the "four-letter word" era too, like Hope and Life. The current batch just doesn’t have the same personality. 😞

User6 [Aug 22, 2009, 12:32 PM]:
I’ve been wondering about this, too. My personal fave was Gas Drums. It was so creative. But yeah, Five hasn’t really announced anything publicly, have they? No mention of them phasing out these iconic idents or explaining why they’re sticking to generic animations now. Definitely disappointing.

User3 [Aug 22, 2009, 1:15 PM]:
I did a bit of digging, and I found an interview with Carl Ratcliff from when they launched their new branding last year. He talked about wanting "playfulness and colour" for the channel’s identity. I can’t see how this current boring phase matches that at all! What happened to the energy?

User7 [Aug 22, 2009, 2:04 PM]:
I think this is part of a bigger trend – look at other channels, like BBC and ITV. They’ve all been simplifying their branding and idents lately, probably to save money or focus on other things. But honestly, Five had something really special with those energetic idents. It’s sad to see them move in this direction.

User4 [Aug 22, 2009, 3:30 PM]:
Totally agree, User7. I get that TV channels are under pressure financially these days, but idents are part of what makes a channel memorable. Five feels so... plain now. Bring back the superheroes, the Food Chain, and the fun stuff!

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 4:55 PM]:
Thanks for all your replies! It’s good to know I’m not the only one missing the old idents. 😔 I guess we’ll have to wait and see if Five says anything or brings them back. Fingers crossed they surprise us with something new – hopefully as creative as before!

User2 [Aug 22, 2009, 5:20 PM]:
Yeah, fingers crossed! Five, if you’re reading this, PLEASE give us our creative idents back! The generic animations don’t cut it. 😅

User8 [Aug 22, 2009, 8:10 PM]:
Just saw another generic ident before the news and had to come here to rant... It’s so uninspired compared to the old ones. Bring back the superheroes and imaginative ideas, Five! Hopefully, someone at the channel realizes how much people loved them.

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 9:02 PM]:
Let’s keep this thread going! Maybe if enough people complain, Five will consider bringing back their unique style. Long live Jelly World! 😄

User5 [Aug 22, 2009, 9:30 PM]:
Haha, agreed! Let’s all hope Five listens. We need more creative idents on TV these days, not fewer! 🙌

Write a reply with the only idents used now

User9 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:15 PM]:
Hey everyone, I’ve been paying close attention to the idents lately, and from what I’ve seen, they’ve really cut back a lot. As far as I can tell, these are the only idents left now:

Generic: The simple, animated one that’s usually used before the news.
Fibre: The slightly more stylized animated one, also seen before the news sometimes.
Color Love: Another animated one used for news or filler – not very exciting.
Human Paint: The swirly paint one, which feels kind of repetitive at this point.
That’s it. No Jelly World, no Park Duel, no superheroes, no Gas Drums – nothing creative or fun anymore. 😞 I get why they might use simpler idents before the news, but why did they scrap everything else? It’s such a downgrade from what we had just last year!

It looks like they’re relying more on those "brand bursts" and "content bursts" now, but they just don’t make up for losing the super creative idents we had before. Feels like such a waste of all the work that went into the older ones. 😔

Write a cvonversation asking what the current programming schedule is, a user has a full 12am to 12am schedule

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 9:45 AM]:
Hey everyone, does anyone know what Five's current programming schedule looks like? I've been out of the loop and want to catch up with what they’re airing right now. Is there a full list anywhere?

User2 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:10 AM]:
Good question! I think their schedule has changed a bit recently. I mostly catch a few shows here and there, but it'd be cool to know the full lineup as well. Hopefully, someone here has the full schedule!

User3 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:20 AM]:
Actually, I’ve kept track of the schedule recently! Here’s what I’ve got for a full weekday (from 12am to 12am):

12:00 AM – 2:00 AM: Poker Night Live – Late-night poker games and commentary.
2:00 AM – 4:00 AM: Infomercials – Mostly shopping and product demos.
4:00 AM – 6:00 AM: Great Artists – A documentary series about famous painters and their works.
6:00 AM – 6:30 AM: Milkshake! – The start of their kid's programming block.
6:30 AM – 9:15 AM: Milkshake! continues with shows like Peppa Pig, Thomas & Friends, and Fifi and the Flowertots.
9:15 AM – 10:00 AM: The Wright Stuff – A topical discussion and call-in panel show.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM: Trisha Goddard – Classic daytime conflict resolution talk show.
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Home and Away – Weekday reruns of this Aussie soap opera.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Neighbours – Another Aussie soap, rerun from the day before.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Lunchtime News – Standard midday news report.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: House Doctor – Home makeover advice with a focus on selling.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Film Matinee – A classic or family-friendly film, usually a rerun.
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: More infomercials.
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Home and Away (new episode) – Weekday soap opera.
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM: Neighbours (new episode).
6:30 PM – 7:00 PM: Five News at 6:30 PM.
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM: The Gadget Show (on certain days) or another entertainment program.
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Police Interceptors – Reality show following law enforcement.
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM: A primetime documentary or reality TV show.
10:00 PM – 11:00 PM: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
11:00 PM – 12:00 AM: NCIS or another U.S. drama series.

That’s the basic lineup I’ve noticed recently! They mix it up occasionally, especially with the Film Matinee and primetime slots, but most of it stays consistent.

User1 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:30 AM]:
Wow, thanks, User3! That’s really helpful. I didn’t realize they still had The Wright Stuff in the mornings – I used to watch that all the time! And I completely forgot about their U.S. imports like CSI. Guess I’ll need to tune in more again!

User2 [Aug 22, 2009, 10:40 AM]:
Thanks, User3! That’s a super-detailed breakdown. I might set a reminder for The Gadget Show now – love that one. And nice to know the Film Matinee is still kicking around for lazy afternoons!

User4 [Aug 22, 2009, 11:00 AM]:
This is perfect – thanks for sharing the full schedule! I’ve been catching NCIS late at night, but I didn’t realize Home and Away was still airing new episodes in the afternoons. Time to binge-watch and catch up. Anyone know if they’ve changed the Milkshake! block much, or is it still the same shows as before?

User3 [Aug 22, 2009, 11:15 AM]:
Glad the schedule is helpful! As for Milkshake!, they’ve made some small changes over the years, but it’s mostly the same classics for little ones: Peppa Pig, Noddy, Roobarb and Custard Too, Thomas & Friends, etc. Every so often, they sprinkle in new shows, but nothing too drastic. Good for kids if you’re up early!

User2 [Aug 22, 2009, 11:30 AM]:
Haha, I might start watching Milkshake! again for nostalgia. Can’t go wrong with Peppa Pig! 😂

Write a reply listing what the 7 current US dramas are as of 2009

User5 [Aug 22, 2009, 12:00 PM]:
Hey everyone! Just wanted to chime in with the list of the 7 U.S. dramas currently airing on Five as of 2009. They’ve been pretty consistent about these shows, and they’re all really popular:

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – The original Vegas-based series that airs in primetime slots.
CSI: Miami – The spin-off with Horatio’s iconic sunglasses, usually shown in late-night slots.
CSI: NY – Another spin-off, focused on crime-solving in New York.
NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service – Huge fan-favorite about the Navy-focused investigative team.
Law & Order: Criminal Intent – The sharp, psychological twist on the Law & Order franchise.
House – The medical drama about the grumpy but genius Dr. House (this is part of their primetime lineup occasionally).
The Mentalist – A more recent addition about a former psychic-turned-detective solving crimes in California.
They play CSI and NCIS episodes on rotation pretty frequently, so you’ll spot them several times across the week. The others are generally slotted into the earlier or later evening schedules. Definitely some solid picks for U.S. drama fans right now!

Write a conversation in mid October asking if the ident rotation has changed or still

User1 [Oct 15, 2009, 3:05 PM]:
Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone has noticed any changes to Five’s ident rotation lately? Are they still only using the super minimal ones like Generic and Fibre, or have they brought back any of the older creative ones, like Jelly World or the superheroes?

User2 [Oct 15, 2009, 3:20 PM]:
Good question! I’ve been wondering the same thing. I haven’t watched Five too closely recently, but the last time I tuned in (like a week ago), they were still using the same Generic and Human Paint idents. If they’ve brought back the old ones, I haven’t seen them.

User3 [Oct 15, 2009, 3:45 PM]:
Still feels like it’s the same barebones idents. I caught a few episodes of CSI and NCIS in the past week, and every ident break was the super plain Generic one or maybe Fibre. No sign of the superheroes or anything from the Jelly World or Accordion days. 🤷‍♂️

User4 [Oct 15, 2009, 4:10 PM]:
It’s so disappointing! I’ve been checking now and then, hoping they’d bring back the more creative ones, but it’s just the same lifeless animations from earlier in the year. Those used to be placeholders, right? But they’ve been on-air forever now. Are they planning to revamp it all, or is this permanent?

User1 [Oct 15, 2009, 4:25 PM]:
Ugh, that’s such a shame. I really miss the energy of the older idents. Watching Park Duel or Gas Drums between shows actually made Five feel fun and creative. This new rotation – if you can even call it a “rotation” – just feels so generic and boring.

User5 [Oct 15, 2009, 4:50 PM]:
Same here. I keep checking in randomly to see if they’ve updated the rotation, but nope – it’s still the same four overly minimal idents:

Generic
Fibre
Color Love
Human Paint
That’s literally it. They’ve completely ditched the older ones. I don’t get why they’d go from having so much personality to this lifeless design. It’s like Five forgot their own branding identity.

User6 [Oct 15, 2009, 5:10 PM]:
It’s weird because Five spent so much time and effort on the earlier idents. I remember when those superhero-themed ones were part of their big 2008 rebrand – they hyped them up so much! Why dump them after just a year? I thought the whole point of that rebrand was to establish a playful, energetic tone for the channel. Guess not? 🤦‍♂️

User3 [Oct 15, 2009, 5:30 PM]:
I think part of their strategy since early 2009 has been focusing more on the “brand bursts” and “content bursts” they air before shows now, instead of the more creative idents. It’s probably a cost-saving thing, but it really hurts the overall identity of the channel. The current idents don’t even feel like placeholders anymore – they feel like they’re here for good.

User2 [Oct 15, 2009, 6:00 PM]:
Honestly, I’d even take them reviving Milkshake idents as filler over this lifeless rotation. At least the older idents showed personality and effort. If they’re going to keep it this minimalist, they could at least design a few more so we’re not stuck with the same four every single day.

User4 [Oct 15, 2009, 6:35 PM]:
💯 agree, User2. At this point, I feel like I’ve memorized Generic, Fibre, and the others. They don’t even feel like transitions anymore – they’re just filling space. Five seriously needs to step up their game and invest in something fresh.

User1 [Oct 15, 2009, 7:00 PM]:
Thanks for the updates, everyone. Sounds like the idents are still the same as they’ve been since, what, January? That’s like 10 months of stagnation now. I don’t think anyone would mind a reduced rotation IF they at least had some creativity or personality. Guess I’ll keep hoping for a surprise refresh before the end of the year.

User5 [Oct 15, 2009, 7:30 PM]:
Here’s hoping! But honestly, at this point, I wouldn’t expect much from Five. They seem content with the minimal, no-effort vibe for now. Such a downgrade from the amazing stuff they used to do. 😔

Write a reply saying they basiclaly wasted money on those idents, if they stopped using them

User7 [Oct 15, 2009, 8:00 PM]:
Honestly, if Five has completely stopped using the old creative idents and is sticking with this dull batch of Generic and Fibre, then it feels like they’ve totally wasted their money on the 2008 rebrand. Think about how much they must have spent on those superhero-themed ones, like Park Duel and Containers Duel, not to mention all the work that went into Jelly World, Turf War, and the rest.

They put so much effort into marketing that rebrand as a bold, fun, and playful new identity for the channel, only to ditch it all in less than a year. What was the point? It feels like they poured a ton of money into something they just abandoned. Was it a bad decision internally, or did they just fail to make it stick with viewers? Either way, they could’ve at least kept them in rotation to get more use out of them.

This current batch, if we can even call it a "batch," feels like such a lazy fallback. I can’t imagine how the people behind those 2008 idents must feel seeing their hard work shelved so quickly. Was all that creative investment really for nothing? What a shame. 🙄

Write a reply where to rub it in those idents are gone for good, guess what idents returned this morning alongisde the bland ones, and 3 show specific ones


User8 [Oct 15, 2009, 9:15 PM]:
Okay, so to rub it in (sorry 😅), it really does look like those amazing 2008 idents are gone for good. I mean, we’ve been stuck with Generic, Fibre, and the other plain ones for months now. But guess what? I just turned on Five this morning, and surprise: a few of the older four-letter word idents (from the pre-2008 era!) have made a sudden comeback!

Yes, you read that right – idents like Life, Free, and Fast are back in rotation alongside the bland ones. It’s almost like Five decided, "Hey, let’s hit rewind but not TOO far back." No sign of the 2008 superheroes, Jelly World, or any of those more creative ones, though. 😕 They’re sticking to these four-letter words AND the same old minimalistic ones.

What’s even more surprising? Three new show-specific idents also premiered this morning! Here’s what I caught:

CSI Ident – Super sleek with a crime-scene feel. Flashing police lights and dynamic typography leading into the Five logo.
The Gadget Show Ident – Gadgets whizzing around the screen, showcasing tech in motion, ending with the logo as a hologram.
Home and Away Ident – A warm beach vibe with rolling waves forming the logo. Very summery, even though it’s October!
So it looks like Five is putting some effort into themed branding around their key shows, but it still doesn’t really make up for the loss of the 2008 set. I feel like they’ve just scrambled together a mix of nostalgia and targeted marketing instead of innovating like they did before. Thoughts?


Write a reply with all 16 current idents, in the current rotation