Background

Razer, a digital specialty network owned by CTVglobemedia, had attracted a loyal following among 12-20 year olds across Canada with a wide variety of unique programming. In 2006 they introduced a Saturday afternoon Anime (Japanimation) programming block. This exclusive programming was not available anywhere in Canadian television and was sure to get the attention of loyal Anime fans. Beyond that, Razer executives felt the programming could break out to a much wider, mainstream audience if it was packaged effectively.

Strut's Solution

In order to brand the programming as a cohesive must-watch television block, and sell it to their more mainstream audience Strut focused our efforts on playing up the three things Anime is known around for around the world: flying robots, samurai swords and gratuitous application of stylized violence.

Strut branded this Kamikaze programming using Razer's "pegacorn" mascot built as a "mech"-style Japanese robot. This version of the pegacorn mascot immediately said both "Razer" and "Anime" to our audience in one tight visually dramatic package.

The logo was created by taking a retro television, and plunging two samurai swords into the top, in the style of rabbit-ear antennas. Again, we were looking to find high-impact visual mnumonics, the logo literally conveys "Anime" on "Television".

Titles for the featured programs were sliced and diced, with a good helping of spattered blood. A library of animated and heavily layered backgrounds were build up from heaps of Japanese characters (an assortment of nonsensical phrases).

Results

Razer's Anime programming block immediately achieved a high awareness level, and attracted a large loyal following. Within months additional animated shows were added to the lineup to capitalize on this newly won audience.

In 2007 Strut's on-air identity and packaging for Razer's Kamikaze programming block won Bronze at the Promax|BDA Design Awards, the world's largest television marketing conference which attracts industry leaders from top television networks, cable channels and station groups.