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Channel 10 is the youngest of Israel’s three broadcast channels. Established January 28th, 2002, it is just over 6 years old and still struggling to snatch viewers from the leading Channel 2.

Over the years I have noticed Channel 10 is much too absorbed in finding a magic logo, a magic tagline, a magic bullet to make it grab the big ratings, believing that in substance versus style, the latter wins. The logo in the corner of my television screen kept changing, or in Madison Avenue Newspeak: evolving. Disregarding the use of different colors, on and off shadows and the odd use of 3D, I counted four principle logos in 6 years – that’s one logo makeover every two years!

Except for the logos changing, note that in 2005 the channel changed its name from ‘Channel 10′ to ‘Israel 10′ – and back to ‘Channel 10′ in 2006.

In addition, Channel 10 had used five different ad agencies over the years, which translates to the advertising budget changing hands every 15 months:
2002: in house (Eitan Bartal) + Gitam BBDO
2003: Reuveni Pridan
2006: Grey Interactive Israel (Adler Chomski & Warshavsky)
2007: Zarmon Goldman
2008: in house

How many years does Nike use the ‘Just do it’ tagline? Twenty? Oh, no, Channel 10 will have none of that… I have counted five different taglines the channel used over the years:
2002: The entire country is 10 – (כל המדינה עשר)
2002: That’s what TV is for – (בשביל זה יש טלויזיה)
2004: Everyone is already watching 10 – (כולם כבר רואים 10)
2005: TV that speaks to you – (טלויזיה שמדברת אליך)
2006: Changing the picture – (משנה את התמונה)

What? You want more? I feel like I am one bad sweater away from a Mike Levey Amazing Discoveries infomercial… Okay, okay, last one:

In six years, Channel 10 had managed to use three different domains as its main website: israel10.tv, 10.tv and nana10.co.il

6 years, 4 logos, 2 name changes, 5 ad agencies, 5 taglines, 3 websites.
Consistency, thy name is Channel 10.

Rabbi Raphael Halperin, owner of Optica Halperin (and a former wrestler), announced yesterday that he is cancelling the tender for the company’s advertising account. This was the first time in 19 years the company called a pitch to run its three million dollars account, but after reviewing the bids Halperin decided to continue advertising on his own, buying media as an individual.

Halperin told Maariv newspaper that he did not like any of the ad agencies’ bids, as all of them focused on changing the company – not advertising it.

I applaud Rabbi Halperin as it must be difficult to watch the current advertising trends, and say with conviction: You are all crazy, and I must be the only sane person left. While he did not elaborate, I am willing to put my money where my keyboard is and suggest each of the bids received included at least one of the following overused superficial makeovers:

The Acronym Shtick:
In lieu of creative thinking let’s just acronym the company’s Hebrew name into English letters, just like with these companies:

Matim Li   >>   ML
HaMashbir Mahsaney Ofna   >>   H&O
Lilith & Varda   >>   L&V
Avigdor Shoes   >>   AVG

The Color Shtick:
They say if you can’t make it good, make it big – and if you can’t make it big, make it red. The following companies actually paid money for this advice:

Cellcom (telecom)   >>   Purple
Pelephone (telecom)   >>   Blue
Orange (telecom)   >>   Orange
Bezeq (telecom)   >>   Blue
Mirs (telecom)   >>   Green
Hapoalim (bank)   >>   Red
Discount (bank)   >>   Green
Leumi (bank)   >>   Blue

The Logo Shtick:
One of my favorite shticks, and the one that proves ad agencies basically create their own market by convincing companies to change their logo every couple of years.
Here is a visual timeline I created for a number of leading Israeli companies, one not-so-leading company that has never changed its logo, and one organization that was brave enough to revert to its vintage logo after two years of using a new-and-improved logo.
Please note this is a draft and some dates are mere estimates.