Marathon Media

Background

Marathon Media was a French studio which created animated cartoons. Before 1999, it was known as "Marathon Productions". The studio was acquired by Zodiak Media Group in 2007 and was folded (with a couple of other studios) into Zodiak Kids Studios in April 2015. After the merger of Zodiak and Banijay Group, the studio was not renamed, the only one to retain the Zodiak brand name.

1st Logo (September 23, 1995-2001)

Nickname: "The Abstract Wordmark"

Logo: On a faded white background, a bunch of 3D stylized "A" letters float towards the wordmark " R THO " to complete it as "MARATHON". The letters form the "M", the two "A"'s and the "N" respectively. The wordmark is enclosed between two blue lines, and below it is the word "PRODUCTIONS" in a regular font.

Variants:

There is a still version with a black background.
On The Secret World of Santa Claus, the logo rotates from the left on a black background, and is placed in a box above the CinéGroupe logo.

FX/SFX: The letters zooming out.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Was seen on various cartoon series, such as Mythic Warriors and The Secret World of Santa Claus. The still version appeared on the 1995 series Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.

Editor's Note: None.

2nd Logo (March 18, 2000-March 8, 2007)

Nickname: "The Rectangle"

Logo: On a black background, we see various white shadows merging together to form the Marathon logo (a bordered rectangle with "MARATHON" inside, in the same font as pre-2010 Cartoon Network logos). A red light comes through. The background turns white, and the logo turns red.

Variants:

At the end of their shows, the logo forms superimposed in credit, as opposed to the opening, which has the logo described above.
A still variant exists.

FX/SFX: The lights, the letters merging, and the color change.

Music/Sounds: An airy synth theme.

Availability: Common. Seen at the start (and sometimes before and/or after the end credits) of some episodes of Totally Spies! on Universal Kids and previously on Cartoon Network, Marsupilami and Martin Mystery, which was last seen on Nicktoons in the United States.

Editor's Note: None.

3rd Logo (2004-October 30, 2015)

Nickname: "The Rectangle II"

Logo: A red oblong rectangle is flipping from the screen on an off-white background. The letters, which are in the same font as the previous logo, flip towards the rectangle. The letters shine, the oblong rectangle develops a white border, and the logo fades to white.

Variants:

As before, the logo forms superimposed in credit at the end of their shows.
On video games, the logo appears still with "MEDIA" slanted under it.

FX/SFX: The flipping and shining.

Music/Sounds: Same as before, but with more whooshes.

Availability: Seen on Marathon-produced shows and several games based on them, including Monster Buster Club, Gormiti, and The Amazing Spiez.

Editor's Note: None.

4th Logo (July 22, 2009)

Nickname: "The Rectangle III"

Logo: On a black background, we see gray silhouettes of the main Totally Spies! characters running to the right side of the screen. As they reach the center, a white line draws the same rectangle from the previous logo. When the line finally forms the rectangle, the company name and "MEDIA" fades in, and the Zodiak byline follows a few seconds later. After a few more seconds, we see silhouettes of the same people going to the left instead, and much larger. When the final person comes in, the logo completely disappears.

FX/SFX: The people running, the line forming the rectangle, the fading in of the wordmark and Zodiak byline, the logo disappearing.

Music/Sounds: A dreamy theme with twinkles and a violin.

Availability: Extinct. This logo was only seen on Totally Spies! The Movie.

Editor's Note: None.