SBS SIGNATURE MOTION
SBS is Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, built on a mission to bring diverse stories, languages, and perspectives to audiences across the country. As the brand evolved beyond traditional broadcast into a broader streaming and digital ecosystem, we were engaged to help translate the refreshed identity into motion through a flexible system designed for broadcast, streaming, digital, and key brand touchpoints.
At the centre of the system sits the iconic SBS Mercator. Long associated with the globe, we brought the form into a vibrant 3D world that reflects the diversity at the heart of the brand, strengthening the connection between the identity and the audiences it represents.
Designed with a motion-first approach, the system was built to scale across broadcast, streaming, digital, and key brand touchpoints. Anchoring the work is the hero ident, created as a singular expression of SBS as a platform for the world’s stories.
PRINCIPLES:
GLOBAL
Global anchors the motion system, reflecting SBS as a platform for the world’s stories, languages, and perspectives. Spherical movement, light, and masking reveal content with a subtle sense of the globe in motion.
CONNECTION
Connection reflects SBS linking people to each other and the wider world through shared stories and culture. Offset motion and harmonised movement allow separate elements to resolve together with a natural flow.
RESTLESS
Restless reflects the constant energy of SBS, creating movement that feels alive and always in motion. Frames rarely settle completely, with subtle drifts, scaling, and motion layers introducing continuous life and momentum.
BRAND IN MOTION:
LOGO:
The SBS logo remained visually unchanged, but motion became an opportunity to deepen its meaning, strengthening the connection between the Mercator forms and the globe. As part of the toolkit, we defined a set of practical motion behaviours, including abbreviated animations for quicker resolves, and established how these mechanics apply consistently across the broader SBS brand ecosystem.
BRAND LANDSCAPES:
As an extension of the signature motion and app launch system, we developed “brand landscapes”. Ambient background assets designed to introduce subtle movement across a range of use cases. Expanding beyond SBS’s core black and yellow palette, the system incorporates colours from its sub-brands, creating a motion language that feels both unified and adaptable.