TV Rain

Role
Design direction, identity system, design lead
Context

TV Rain is an independent Russian-language broadcaster operating in exile under a European licence, reaching around 25 million monthly viewers. As the channel expanded across digital platforms, it needed a clearer, more flexible identity — one that could support a mobile-first approach, keep production fast, and stay consistent across broadcast, digital and social.

Approach

  1. Research

    1

    Ran 30+ interviews with current, former and prospective viewers to identify the brand’s core DNA — then preserved it while reshaping the strategy.

  2. Concept

    2

    A flexible umbrella system that carries different content types and works across platforms, mobile-first.

  3. System logic

    3

    A scalable visual system built on a dynamic core element, flexible typography and defined constants — balancing recognisability with range.

  4. Illustration language

    4

    A multi-layered illustration system, with a model trained to generate visuals in the same style — making content production faster, more scalable and more cost-efficient.

  5. Motion behaviour

    5

    A flexible motion library for video-first content, keeping communication consistent and adaptable across formats.

  6. Rollout

    6

    Launched the system with a template library for broadcast, YouTube and social — cutting production time sharply and enabling faster programme launches, including new experiments shipped within a week.

Impact

  • A scalable identity system that unified broadcast, digital and social under one visual language.
  • Cut production time by 71% through templates and tools — raising both output and consistency.
  • Accelerated illustration production 5x and freed up 2x more time for creative work, reducing reliance on external resources.
  • Enabled rapid launches of new programmes, with stronger audience engagement and loyalty.

The updated visual language supported our transition to a distributed international audience while preserving the character of the channel.

Mark TenCEO