NBC Universal’s Sci Fi cable channel is being mothballed today. Effective tomorrow, July 7th, it is being rebranded Syfy on-air and on the new syfy.com webite.
“While continuing to embrace our sci-fi fantasy legacy, we wanted to cultivate a distinct point of view with a trade-markable brand name that reflects our broader range of imagination-based entertainment. With the new tagline, Imagine Greater, Syfy allows us to build on our 17-year track record of success with a brand built on the power that fuels our genre, the imagination. Coming off our most-watched year in history, Syfy launches a new era of unlimited imagination, exceptional experiences and greater entertainment that paves the way for us to truly become a global lifestyle brand,”said Dave Howe, President, Syfy.
The “imagination celebration” kicks off Tuesday with the two-hour premiere of Warehouse 13 at 9:00 pm (ET/PT). Starring Eddie McClintock and Joanne Kelly, Warehouse 13 joins Syfy’s stable of programming led by Eureka (the network’s most-watched scripted series) and Ghost Hunters (cable’s #1 Wednesday program among P25-54).
The rebranding is being backed by an aggressive marketing campaign. The new Syfy is said to embrace a more diverse range of imagination-based entertainment, including fantasy, paranormal, reality, mystery, action and adventure, as well as science fiction. Syfy – unlike the generic entertainment category “sci-fi” – firmly establishes a uniquely ownable trademark that is portable across all non-linear digital platforms and beyond, from Hulu to iTunes, the network said.
Click here to see the two minute video launching the new brand, Syfy.
