Amber Li


The Criterion Channel

Fall 2024 | 6 weeks Team
Individual Skills
Brand Identity + Strategy | Figma | Ai Ae Ps The Criterion Company is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024 as a company that paved the way in film restorations, editions, and boutique cinema. Adored by film buffs and academics. this milestone comes a time to reflect on the past and look into possibilities for the future. 


The Lens Flare

The Criterion Company has a storied history in pioneering letterboxing, special editions, and movie commentaries when it comes to at-home TV. Now as the company moves into the streaming sphere, the new identity offers an opportunity for them to distinguish themselves as a true niche in the sphere by bringing the physicality of filmmaking back into the streaming experience. This title sequence would play before every Criterion film. 





If It Ain’t Broke... 

Truthfully, when it comes to rebrands, not every company needs a full refresh. The Criterion ‘C’, carved out of a full circle, has been in use for nearly two decades. An addition of an accent color - Subtitle Yellow, concentric circles, and updated logotype using JL Pirelli gives a subtle but more refined finish. JL Pirelli was chosen for its similarities to Futura and old Art Deco-style typefaces.



Simple and Generative

When applied into social media or video splash screens, the lens flare motif can be used as a stylistic way to break up information and photos. The idea of circles along one line is endlessly generative, sticking to one core idea but with millions of simple, yet unique combinations available. This can also be applied to patterning in physical media.


An Identity Brimming with Nostalgia

The Criterion Channel houses cult classics, international, and documentarian films that are often vintage and hard to find anywhere else online. The redesigned website redefines at-home streaming with visuals reminiscent of movie stubs, and bringing forward important information for the target audience, such as awards, directors, and year of release. Acme Gothic is used as secondary type to highlight titles and further bring the identity into its full old-Hollywood potential. 


A space on the Internet for cinephiles.

Criterion dominated the at-home movie scene during the age of DVD and VHS.  To distinguish itself amongst new competitors such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max in the Internet age, the new website places emphasis on old-school moviegoing aesthetics and highlights the special collections that Criterion takes care to curate on a monthly basis. 

Exclusive releases, commentaries, and interviews are highlighted with special section headers and image treatments.