Branding each of the shows on The Food Network is crucial to keeping us coming back and not just saying, “another cooking show?” Their branding is conscious and effective, from the logos right down to the atmosphere of each kitchen.

Starting with the powerhouse 30-minute meals with Rachel Ray, the angle here is fast meals, made by someone just like you–but better. Her logo’s font looks like a futuristic courier new, an efficient, get-the-job done workhorse. But there’s a serif on the “i” that extends backwards instead of the dot that should be there, tipping us off to the fact that this is not your average cooking show. What we will actually be watching is a fiery and charming woman conduct a three-ring circus for a half-hour that miraculously ends with a bombastic and tastefully twisted comfort food. Her kitchen also suggests this. It’s organized, efficient, with crayon inspired colors.

Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller projects the attitude that if you are methodical, you will be able to keep the chaos of the modern world at bay. With a little planning and pre-prep on the weekends, you can quickly create three healthy and delicious meals during the week for your family. Her logo is an all caps, serif font on ruled paper that resembles a schedule. No nonsense here. The logo is warmed up by her handwritten name. Once we come into her kitchen, we know that kids “live here.” Her counter is cluttered: dishes in the drainer, scattered appliances, thermoses, bowls of fruit, a cookie jar. The color palate of her counter-top items are pastel and rainbow colored, like a child’s toy box. Through rather fussy looking “mom” curtains we see a lush back yard. Her dishes are classic to the extreme: few surprises, nothing spicy, and all kid-friendly.

To get an idea of the tone of Guy’s Big Bite, just picture a bunch of guys sitting around and shooting pool in their rec room. Guy, with bleach blonde hair, tattoos, and skater style guides us through meals that blend nostalgic fun with big flavors, such as fried pepperoni lasagna with a grape soda cocktail. He’s a big kid–just take a look at his kitchen with its racecar-inspired fridge. Just beyond the open kitchen we see a bar and a pool table. His logo is done in a poster-style font that narrows at the top of the letters–making them appear monumental and also suggesting in a Star Wars-type way the fun that we will have during his half hour.

Much like Guy’s concoctions, Tyler’s Ultimate revolves around the dishes that we remember from childhood. But this is not your mom’s nostalgic cooking. Nope—it’s much more masculine than that. This time they are THE BEST. Ever. Tyler’s meals are not really about speed. He creates the ultimate foods by starting with classic dishes: enchiladas, chicken cacciatore, chicken salad sandwiches–and uses fresh, quality ingredients in big portions. Again, the logo tells the whole story: it gives us a sense of “back when” by clicking around like old film. The font also looks like vintage letterpress. The masculine factor is evident in the block style font and calligraphic elements recalling tattoo art. Additionally, Tyler’s kitchen is truly a kitchen for a dude. The low key tomatillo-green tiles and gash of exposed brick wall recede and provide the perfect backdrop to highlight the utensil-heavy no-nonsense kitchen. This workshop feel extends all the way to the foodservice dishwashing hose in the sink.

Article Tags: brand | Branding | food network | logo | Television Marketing | tv
Filed under: Branding, Dorian Anderson, Personal Opinions, Television Marketing