AVRO

Background

AVRO (Algemene Vereniging Radio Omroep; General Association of Radio Broadcasting) was one of the oldest and most popular Dutch TV and radio programme makers, specialising in popular programmes such as shows, plays, quizzes, series, drama and youth programmes. It was founded in 1927. However, it ended in 2014 when it and TROS joined themselves to form AVROTROS.

More logos can be seen here.

1st ID (1969-1977)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is part of a ball machine, with a pendulum constantly diverting balls which ram into it. On the right side of the screen is the logo for AVRO at the time, which is "avro" in a abstract font.

Technique: Live-action, with the logo plastered in.

Audio: A sampled piece from the track "Vibration" from Tom Dissevelt & Kid Baltan's 1959 album "The Fascinating World of Electronic Music" followed by the end of the track.

2nd ID (1969-1977)

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Visuals: On a black background, there is two chevrons made of the AVRO logo that change colors sliding and intersecting across each other. Another pair closer to the screen then slides in and a blue light appears in the center of the screen and slowly takes over the screen. 3 AVRO logos then zoom towards the screen in random places and two pairs of rings wipe in, getting smaller towards the center, and rotate out of sync. The "avro" text in an outlined font then quickly appears and turns into four circles that zoom out, along with everything else, to reveal a yellow AVRO logo zooming in quickly to the center of the screen, in which it slows down dramatically.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A trumpet fanfare.

3rd ID (1969-1977)

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Visuals: There is a man turning his radio on, followed by a cat on a couch, and wine being poured in a glass. After some clips of chips being poured in a small plate, an aquarium, a fireplace, a dog playing with a boy, a canary in its cage, and a full table, there is a blue background with text saying "een avondje avro" ("An evening of AVRO" in Dutch).

Technique: Live-action.

Audio: A signature song that goes like this: "Een avondje AVRO, dat schuift bij de kuis. (An evening of AVRO, this complements the clean-up.) Een avondje AVRO, daar blijf je van thuis. (An evening of AVRO, for that you keep yourself at home.)"

4th ID (1977-1980s)

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Visuals: There is the new AVRO logo (styled in a curvy script), zooming out over a blue background while multiple circular outlines pass through the sides, in different colors like blue, red, yellow, turquoise and pink. The circles stop moving once a larger circle surrounding the screen is formed. A red outline appears around the AVRO logo with a white outline then drawing in. The other blue outlines turn shiny and sparkles appear around the logo.

Technique: Cel animation.

Audio: A jazzy rearrangement of the previous logo's theme, with bell notes when the sparkles appear.

5th ID (1983, 60th anniversary)

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Visuals: On a starfield background, there is a outline of curved rectangle and 60 to trace. and a trail of "AVRO" appears

Technique: Cel-animation

Audio: Unknown

6th ID (1983)

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Visuals: On a dark blue background with glitter effects, the screen tilted at 11 degree angle, the AVRO logo was traced by a laser, leaving the bicolored rectangle, colored blue on the top and dark blue on the bottom.

Technique: 2D computer effects

Audio: a rearrangement of the previous logo

7th ID (1985-1988)

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Visuals: On a black background, multiple colorful particles flying around, top rectangle spins from right and bottom rectangle spins from left, caused the particles to form the AVRO logo, blue background fades in. and 2 rectangles stacked together.

Technique: 2D computer animation with CGI elements.

Audio: Unknown

8th ID (1989-1992)

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Visuals: On a navy background covered with light refractions, a gold television appears into the scene accompanied by a white flash. The viewpoint shifts around the television, rotating until the screen faces towards the viewpoint (where another shot of the same logo is playing.) The shot fades from the television to a video camera in a void (which zooms in with an after image.) The viewpoint rotates around the camera before beginning to zoom into the lens, dissolving into another shot of the top of the camera. The recording light flashes red before fading into another shot of a production control room with more shots of the same logo playing on the screens. A lever is switched on the control panel, causing all the screens to switch to a shot of a film feeding through a projector, including the viewpoint. Shortly after, the scene fades to a compact disc slowly moving away from the viewpoint with five audio meters overlayed on the shot bouncing up and down. Shortly after, the scene fades to a shot of a tennis racket and a soccer ball overlaying the "AVRO" text. The soccer ball pans up and out of view while the racket moves towards the viewpoint. Another soccer ball bounces off the racket, causing a visible recoil before fading to a view of two translucent violins. A rainbow streaks across the screen from the right before a piano fades into view behind the two violins, playing in time with the audio. The camera pans under the keys keeping the focus but dissolving to a shot of several buildings of varied heights (in the same spots as the keys,) zooming directly into a window where film was rolling through. The picture in the film flows directly into the next scene where a golden satellite slowly orbits around the landmasses of Earth. A white light appears in the middle of the Earth with the beams following the outlines of the land masses. The viewpoint zooms in towards the middle of the Earth just before the Netherlands moves into view, fading into the final shot. The "AVRO" text moves into the center of the view, rotating from its bottom to face towards the viewpoint; the navy background from the beginning of the logo slowly fades in as well. Once the text is in place, three sparkles flash on the logo. (One under the curve of the R, one under the right leg of the A and one inside the O.)

Variants:

• There's a variant where the slogan "EEN BEEJTE KLASSE KAN GEEN KWAAD" fades in below.
• In some logos, the Nederland I byline can be seen in the bottom right at the end of the logo.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: There are two variants of the same theme that were used, both of which revolving around an eight note melody. One was an acoustic rendition, featuring a full orchestra as well as bass, electric guitar, drums and keys. The other was more electronic-based, featuring the use of synthesizers, a punchy brass section, synthesized drums and keys. However, both feature a sound effect for when the soccer ball bounces off the racket.

Availability: Used as a ident during 1989-1992 on TV2 and 1991 on Nederland 1.

9th ID (1992-1993)

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Visuals: There is a blue and white square facing to the right side to the screen. The square faces the camera and flies to the top of the screen, and then suddenly cuts off to the letter "A" of the logo (which has an extended middle line). The letter "A" goes to the middle of the screen and then the other letters of the logo appear and settle next to the "A", making the logo. The words "Dit was een programma van de" ("This was a program of the [AVRO]") fade in above it.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on programmes broadcasted by AVRO during the time.

10th ID (1993-1997)

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Visuals: Unknown

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on programmes broadcasted by AVRO during the time.

11th ID (1997-1999)

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Visuals: Unknown

Technique: Live action and CGI.

Audio: Unknown

Availability: Seeing as it broadcasted during the 90s, it won't be possible to find this logo again in the Netherlands unless you look through tapes.

12th ID (1999-2006)

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Visuals: On a blurred video of the parts of the new AVRO logo moving, there is three squares fading in. The first two squares show scenes of the broadcasted program. The words "je komt elkaar tegen bij de" ("you meet each other at the") fade in at the middle of the screen. The third square starts showing the deblurred video, and we see on it the "O" of the logo filling the screen. The screen then cuts into the new AVRO logo forming. After the logo's formed, the company's URL fades in at the right-bottom corner.

Technique: CGI.

Audio: The closing theme of the show, followed by a whoosh, and a guitar/pizzicato tune then plays.

Availability: Seen on programmes broadcasted by AVRO at the time.

13th ID (2006-2010)

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Visuals: Unknown

Technique: CGI and live action.

Audio: Unknown

Availability: Seen on programmes broadcasted by AVRO at the time.