The studio was briefed to bring the platform to “a new generation of viewers”, by emphasising Freeform’s commitment to “young adult stories that buck tropes, flip scripts, and curb such conventions”. The hope is also to emphasise the service as a creator, in particular of coming of age stories that will appeal to a younger audience.

Collins has worked with Monotype to create a new variable cut of Neue Haas Grotesk, which allows letters to twist, shift and wrap around themselves. It makes for striking branding when used in static imagery, but really comes to life in motion – which feels fitting for Freeform’s new positioning as a streaming service. Collins says it’s “a voice that invites you to look again and again”.

The forms of the type are echoed in other graphic elements, for example cut-out signage boards, windows onto characters, and stills from shows. Lettering is paired with a bright colour palette, that pits hot pink and slime green against more sedate tones of maroon, navy blue and forest green.

Freeform’s backstory is as twisty as its new branding, launching in the late 70s as a religious channel and undergoing various changes in name and ownership before becoming Freeform in 2016. According to Collins, its focus for the future isn’t just a young adult audience, but the kinds of stories that “are usually on the periphery”.

wearecollins.com