New logo for Fetch by Ross Creative Counsel

Fetch (launched in 2010 as Fetch TV) partners with Australian internet service providers Optus, the iiNet Group (iiNet, Internode, Westnet) and Vocus Group (Dodo and iPrimus) along with leading retailers to provide subscribers with a television entertainment service delivered over a broadband connection to a set-top box. The content line-up includes an in-home movie store with over 6,500 titles including the latest releases, a TV store with over 150 shows, catch-up TV services, web apps including YouTube and Netflix, as well as the option to add up to 49 premium subscription channels from major content providers. Fetch boxes can tune in to local digital free-to-air television too, while the higher-priced of the two units adds a personal video recorder. A mobile app is also available for managing recordings and watching select subscription content. (Wikipedia; Fetch)

To take advantage of the new sales opportunities created by the growing National Broadband Network, Fetch has launched a multi-million dollar advertising campaign – which includes a new logo by Ross Creative Counsel – to promote itself directly to consumers. (Until now it has relied on its ISP partners to promote its service through bundled packages.)

“We have had an inconsistent and incoherent go-to market strategy [as the product has had a slightly different name with each internet provider]. It was time to create a consumer brand that speaks with one voice. This is the biggest thing we have ever done,” says Fetch CEO Scott Lorson. “With product, content and distribution now in great shape, the time is right to come out of hiding and create a bold consumer brand to generate awareness and understanding of the Fetch service,” he continues.

Jason Ross of Ross Creative Counsel came up with the idea of “Fetch. We Bring It”. “You bring the TV and we’ll fetch the entertainment,” says Ross. The strategy will target Australian families and specifically mums.

Mumbrella, SMH

I apologise for such a long introduction, considering that all the fuss about the new campaign boils down to a mere logo refresh. Hey, I like to be thorough for my readers! Anyway, you bring your eyeballs, and I’ll fetch the review.

So, the old logo was set in VAG Rounded Bold, a typeface that reminds me of alphabet soup, and it looks childish here. The “tv” ligature is fine, and the rounded rectangle as a holding shape works as a nod to the TV screen. For a company operating in the realm of consumer technology, the logo didn’t feel very cutting-edge, but then maybe I’m expecting too much. What it did represent, though, was an accessible and affordable service, amidst stiff competition from the country’s well-established and largest pay television operator, Foxtel. Suitably, the colour of the logo was very much the opposite to that of Foxtel’s.

The new logo is set in Texta (Black), a contemporary sans-serif that combines geometric and humanist elements. I said the old logo didn’t feel cutting-edge, but this one does… literally, and that’s because it’s had some work done. Some of the corners of the letterforms have been rounded off, specifically in the f, t and h. I have to say, it looks rather fetching. The changes appear to be methodical, as only the left-hand corners on the vertical strokes are edited. If I didn’t know there was customisation involved, I would have assumed it was a proprietary typeface. The letter h, though, looks a bit unresolved, as the right-hand stroke is left intact. Having said that, individual letters don’t have to be pretty as far as typography for readability is concerned; despite the h, the overall word is comfortable to look at.

The other part of the logo lockup is the tagline “We Bring It” inside a dark pink rectangle with its own rounded corners to tie in with the logotype. Unfortunately, the forced wrapping of the words to three lines means that the lines have a very uneven rag, leaving voids next to the words “We” and “It”. It creates a bit of drama, especially with the full stop involved, but really it’s a glaring type crime.

All in all, the new logo looks a lot slicker. The blue and pink colour scheme is fun, too, and reflects the positioning of a company dedicated to bringing entertainment into your home. Fetch, my friends, has happened.