Virgin1 unveils new channel character for rebrand

Virgin1 has unveiled a new character as the face of the channel as part of its forthcoming rebrand.

Red will appear on air from 9 June at 9pm, taking charge of all programme navigation and credit rolls by adding his own commentary and onscreen activity.

He will also appear in Virgin1 idents with the channel’s best known stars including Chuck (Zachary Levi) and Danny Dyer.

Also appearing on 9 June will be a new logo with a retro feel and a new programme line-up including The Life and Times of Tim, Chuck, The Naked Office and Why Men Watch Porn.

The concept behind Red and creation of the character has been led by Virgin Media Television’s recently appointed brand and marketing director Jeff Dodds and creative agency Red Bee Media alongside VMtv’s in-house creative team.

Red will also have his own Facebook and Bebo pages, Twitter feed and weekly downloads on iTunes.

Dodds said: “This is the first time ever a character has been used to embody and personify the values of a channel in quite this way, and we’re delighted to be pushing boundaries once again. As Virgin1 has evolved we wanted to bring the values of the channel alive. It is known for being irreverent, unexpected and a little bit naughty, and Red definitely encapsulates all of these values.”

The full reveal of Virgin1’s rebrand follows the channel’s recent announcement that it is extending its hours on Freeview and launching a new +1 channel (see Virgin1 to expand Freeview hours).