USA

Context

Create a refreshed multi-platform visual identity that amplifies USA Network’s evolved brand positioning and fosters more emotional connections to fans.

Strategy

Design a flexible visual system and robust branding toolbox that builds a big stage for USA’s extra-ordinary characters.

Solution

An all-new brand identity celebrates the characters that make us USA and positions the network for a new era of growth across platforms.

Creative Context

Inspired by fans’ obsession with USA Network’s characters, we built a new identity with its own unique brand character.

USA celebrates larger-than-life characters—both fans and talent alike—by offering a massive range of original series, reality juggernauts, and beloved movies.

To propel the brand into a new era of growth, we designed an elastic visual identity with an audacious voice that engages its fans in exciting new ways. Working in close collaboration with leadership and designers at USA, we developed a design system that refreshes and differentiates the network to build a big stage for their characters—a place where being a little extra isn’t only welcome, it’s encouraged.

USA Instagram photo of Ice T with text What's Fin's Most Said Phrase

USA quote from Todd Chrisley class not ass

Design System

The new visual identity spotlights USA’s characters with bold energy and a big attitude.

A punchy new color palette, playfully expressive type, and powerfully hardworking wayfinding are the heart of a new identity system. We redesigned each element to be emblematic of USA’s brand spirit—full of life, proudly big, and broad with a point. Every moment becomes an opportunity to highlight and frame characters’ raw authenticity as they show us who they really are.

While being deeply strategic, we also built fun directly into the system. For example, the new palette is named after things you might find at a barbecue—Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, Charcoal, and Denim. When promoting USA’s slate of original series, each with its own distinct branding, the palette easily flexes to be even broader.

Motion Language

Animation creates consistent brand attribution by actively reinforcing connections between characters, IP, and the master brand.

All animation is constructed from three basic building blocks. The Character Sting punctuates, driving brand attribution by connecting characters, logo, and tagline for maximum impact. The Highlight always draws attention to key information. When inverted, it becomes The Frame to crop content for expressive character-driven moments. Working together, these motion behaviors can play nice or play dirty to fit the tone of any copy or content.

USA Mud Sweat and Beards promo lower third

Original IP

Originals adapt the design system to work across a broad range of programming.

What fans love about USA is its broad variety of iconic programming that spans genres, moods, and tones. We engineered the system of the original IP programming so it can be tailored to bring out the personality of each individual show—while keeping a few consistent USA brand elements to unite the promos together.

Customizing each original promo package begins with a key color selection that works as an accent across lower thirds, endpage, character sting, logo, and tagline. Custom font and image selection round this out to create a truly unique promo package that captures the show’s essence but follows USA’s visual DNA for a consistent on-screen experience.

Services

Design Strategy –– Visual Identity –– Copywriting –– Graphic Design –– Print Design –– Animation –– Editing –– Toolkits –– Motion Guidelines –– Brand Guidelines