Versant has lifted the curtain on a new logo for its business affairs network CNBC that moves away from the branding of NBC Universal while committing itself to a digital-first future.
The new logo will debut on Saturday, December 13 on CNBC’s cable news channel, website, social media profiles and digital platforms, Versant confirmed at a presentation on Thursday. The logo maintains the blue, white and black color scheme that is rooted in the network’s brand identity refresh from two years ago, while incorporating new visual styles that lends an air of independence.
“It’s a symbol of the direction where we’re headed and the exciting new chapter we’re headed into,” K.C. Sullivan, the President of CNBC, said during Versant’s event on Thursday.
The new logo is a nod to CNBC’s founding in the late 1980s, when the channel launched as a joint venture between NBC (then part of General Electric) and Cablevision. The original logo did not include NBC’s famed Peacock introduced three years earlier, and fused the “N” and “B” in the initialism.
Likewise, the updated logo also joins the “N” and “B” in the initialism, albeit in a subtle way. More prominent is a large blue triangle that serves as a separation point for the two letters, while the “C” on either end stand alone.
Dak Dillon, a journalist who covers the elements of engineering and design in the television industry, was the first to report on CNBC’s plan to unveil a new logo.
Officially, CNBC stands for “Consumer News and Business Channel,” which is why it — unlike sister network MSNBC — will maintain the “NBC” portion of its identity. Documents submitted by Comcast and Versant to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said NBC Universal gave CNBC permission to continue using the three letters in its brand identity until at least 2031. MSNBC rebranded to MS NOW last month.
Other cable networks that are being spun out of Comcast into Versant include E!, SyFy, USA Network and Golf Channel. Comcast’s NBC Universal will retain Bravo, NBC Sports Network and four NBC-branded regional sports networks.
