First broadcast in 1975, Saturday Night Live has been one of the most influential shows in American television, known for launching the careers of generations of comedians and shaping popular culture.
We were tasked with launching Saturday Night Live in the UK, creating a brand-new logo identity and opening title sequence. Produced by a new wave of young British comedy talent, SNL UK adapts the legendary format for a distinctly British cultural context.
Rather than designing a single static mark, to create the branding we photographed hundreds of real “S”, “N” and “L” letterforms found across UK nightlife - from bar and restaurant signage to night buses, taxis and late-night food shops.
The letters were then vectorised, redrawn and edited to create a flexible system of logos drawn from the visual language of British nightlife. Each episode featured a different version of the SNL UK logo built from these found letterforms.
We also partnered with Stink’s emerging directing duo Burnermunde to create the show’s opening title sequence. The sequence placed the cast within recognisable scenes from British nightlife, including chip shops, pubs, black cabs and darts venues, capturing the energy of a Saturday night across the UK and playing into the archetypes of late-night comedy.
Throughout the titles, still images of the photographed letterforms appeared, gradually assembling the SNL logo.