Sony Wonder

Background
Sony Wonder was the children's music and home video arm of Sony Music Entertainment (then known as "Sony BMG Music Entertainment" from 2004-2008), originally formed in 1991 as "Sony Kids' Music". Starting in 1993, Sony Wonder began to distribute Nickelodeon videos until 1996, when their license with Nickelodeon expired. In 1995, the company began distributing Kidsongs video releases after acquiring the rights from KidVision until 1998, and Sesame Workshop videos, like Sesame Street and Elmo's World releases, from 1995 until 2007, as well as Arthur videos from 2000 to 2006. By 1997, they distributed videos from Golden Books Family Entertainment, which became Classic Media in 2002. On March 13, 2007, Sony BMG Music Entertainment announced they would shut down Sony Wonder so that they can focus on their core music businesses (such as Columbia Records, Zomba Label Group (then known as the "Jive Label Group"), and Epic Records); it would be moved to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment as an in-name-only division on June 20, 2007. The releases by Classic Media and Sesame Workshop were then transferred to Genius Products, Inc., but the home entertainment rights were then acquired by Vivendi Entertainment (now "Gaiam Vivendi Entertainment") since late 2009 after Genius announced to exit the home entertainment business. From 2010 to 2018, Sesame Street DVDs were distributed by Warner Home Video. (now part of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment) Since late 2018, they have been released by Shout! Factory Kids.

1st Logo (1991-1995)


Nicknames: "Bouncy Block", "Weird Block", "Cheesy Block"

Logo: On a white background, we see the Sony logo. At the same time, a green box falls from the top to the bottom-middle of the screen, squeezing in as it does so. Once it hits the bottom, it bounces back up, spreading and widening itself, and stops below "SONY", revealing the word "WONDER" in a decorative font.

FX/SFX: The box bouncing, the spreading and widening.

Music/Sounds: None.

Availability: Rare. It can be seen on pre-1995 Nickelodeon tapes from the era, which are easily available on Amazon and eBay. The later Nickelodeon tapes (the ones that say "Nickelodeon Video") have the next logo. Also seen on VHS tapes of A Bunch of Munsch, Dog City, Wild C.A.T.S., Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, and Tales from the Cryptkeeper.

Editor's Note: A rather simple effort using primitive early 90s graphics, but it is notable for appearing on Nickelodeon tapes prior to Viacom's purchase of Paramount.

2nd Logo (1995-2006; 2014-)
Nicknames: "The Ribbon", "The Sunny Ribbon"

Logo: We see a cloudy background playing backwards. The word "WONDER" (in Herman font, more simple from before), in a pink ribbon, then flies from the top-right to the bottom of the screen and stops in the center. The ribbon turns blue, and we then see a CGI yellow sun appear in place of the "O" in "WONDER" via a cheesy light effect. The Sony logo fades in at the top of the ribbon. The end result is almost the same as the first logo.

Variants:


 * On some tapes and DVDs, there is a short version, which starts with the logo being formed. This can mainly be found on trailers.
 * An early version of this logo exists on Nickelodeon tapes such as Rocko's Modern Christmas, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters: Monsters Night Out, and Ren & Stimpy: Nothing But Shorts. The light effect barely moves and is much brighter, and the music composure is also different. This also had a shorter version on A Rugrats Passover. On Big Bird Sings, there are no fades at the beginning or end of the logo.
 * A still widescreen version of the logo with a different cloud background has been spotted on the 2014 DVD of The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale and the 2016 DVD of The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today.
 * The color of the CGI yellow sun in "WONDER" can vary. On nearly all Sony Wonder releases, the CGI sun is in gold-yellow. On many Sesame Street VHS releases from late 1996-early 1998 such as Sing Yourself Sillier At the Movies and Kids' Guide to Life: Telling the Truth, the CGI sun is in orange-yellow orange. On early 1996 Sesame Street VHS releases such as Elmocize and Rock & Roll, the logo appears brighter, making the CGI sun appear in a white-tinted color.
 * On widescreen DVD releases from the company, the logo is centered on a baby blue background, and is "blended" into it in the cheapest way possible.

FX/SFX: The ribbon flying, the sun and the Sony logo both appearing. For the still widescreen version, none.

Music/Sounds: When the logo starts, we hear a riveting string note being held out, and when the ribbon appears, descending harp notes play in-sync with the ribbon. As the ribbon is in its position with the sun appearing, a brief flute melody plays, and when the Sony logo appears, everything rises to a majestic note complete with tubular bells that slowly stops once the logo fades. This is all synthesized, with some samples produced on the E-mu Proteus 2 Orchestral digital synthesizer.

Music/Sounds Variant: For the early version, some of the instruments are more quiet. This variant wasn't used for very long, as the normal music would eventually take its place for the rest of its run.

Availability: Common. It can be seen on many Sony Wonder tapes and DVDs from the late '90s to the mid 2000s, such as Sesame Street videos, later Arthur releases, and specials from Golden Books Family Entertainment/Classic Media (though on VHS tapes, it mainly appeared at the end). The still widescreen version is found on The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale and The Swan Princess: Princess Tomorrow, Pirate Today (the Christmas special has the Stage 6 Films logo instead). It can also be seen on the Sony Wonder DVD and VHS of Caillou's Holiday Movie, in place of the Warner Home Video logo. Some of the last releases to use this logo were the 2006 VHS releases of Sesame Street: Guess That Shape And Color, Elmo's Potty Time, and Elmo's World: Reach for the Sky!. The "blended" widescreen variant can be found on the DVD release of The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (the 2005 special).

Editor's Note: This logo is a favorite of many due to its omnipresence on releases of Sesame Street and Arthur, as well as many others, and on the (in)famous web series Greeny Phatom (for some reason). It also utilizes some neat CGI effects that, while not mind-blowingly fantastic, work very well and held up quite well for the logo's lifespan.

3rd Logo (2006-2007)


Nicknames: "Cheesy Sun", "Flash Sun", "Twirling Sun"

Logo: On a white background, we see a crudely drawn gold circle that zooms incredibly close to the screen, then pans back, followed by rapid flashing. Several lines appear across the circle, turning it into a sun, then spin around. The lines blur, then are re-drawn. The sun bounces to the middle of the screen, where the text "SONY", in its corporate font, slides in from the left and bumps the logo. "WONDER", also in the Sony logo font, then slides in from the right and makes the logo positioned correctly. The sun rays spin around one more time and wiggle around (a la the animation style of Ed, Edd n Eddy).

Variant: On some releases, the text sonywonder.com fades in over the "WONDER" text.

FX/SFX: Simple Flash animation.

Music/Sounds: We hear a quick jet zooming sound, then several xylophone notes and a "TWING!" as the circular sun zooms back. As the sun spins around, we hear several drum taps, then 3 bouncing sounds. 2 "dwong" sounds are heard as the Sony Wonder logo is finally formed, followed by an ascending twinkle.

Availability: Uncommon. Appears on the company's later releases, such as the last few Sesame Street releases from Sony Wonder.

Editor's Note: This is possibly one of the least memorable logos from Sony Wonder, as it only lasted 2 years.