Skyscrapers in Dubai form Channel 4's logo from this 2004 network rebrand by 4Creative and Brett Foraker.

In an age of torrents and TiVo, does anyone still care what network a TV show is on? It’s a question crucial to the design and animation studios and agencies that assist a network in developing and executing its brand identity. When design is seen as an expression of a network’s philosophy, it challenges creative partners to create a platform that lasts for the life of the identity.

But the rising number of networks and the audience’s increasing choice to watch shows on mediums other than TV has led to network’s scaling back on comprehensive rebrands in favor of promoting their programming. It’s a move that’s frustrating for some.

“I think networks are missing the mark. When you care about all of the details and put it all into one cohesive brand, you end up with an HBO or an Apple. You care about everything, you stand for it and you religiously follow it,” says Jakob Trollbäck, founder of design studio Trollbäck + Company.

Networks understand the value of identity, but a constant hurdle is viewership, air time and ad revenue. “We all hear the phrase: people watch shows not networks,” says Dan Bragg, VP/creative director of Discovery Channel. “Networks have a strong desire to show their personality but the challenge is how much time you have on air. The big struggle between marketing and executive teams is where an executive says, ‘Brand doesn’t drive revenue, I’d rather get ratings’.”

Lorenzo De Guttadauro, NBC Universal SVP of brand strategy, agrees that a brand can’t make a show a hit. But looking to the future, brand identities will be important in a world of multi-platform programming. “What we’ll see moving forward is a lot more network-owned shows because ad revenue rates just aren’t what they used to be,” he says. “That’s where brand becomes more important, because when you then have your shows on many platforms, there’s still that sense of ownership that will transfer to other media, whether its mobile, Hulu or DVD.”

In looking at the top rebrands of the last decade, we recognize those that firmly grasped the personality of a network. They are notable for either breaking the network branding model; for crafting visual identities that would influence others; for displaying creative and technical innovation; or for simply doing what any brand identity worth its salt should do: remind viewers why a network is more than just the sum of its programming.