Paramount+

From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum


Background

Paramount+ (pronounced Paramount Plus; formerly known as CBS All Access) is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by Paramount Streaming (formerly "ViacomCBS Streaming"), a division of Paramount Global. It was originally launched by Viacom in 2017 as an SVOD service in the Nordics, before expanding to Hungary, Latin America, and Russia in the coming years. In 2020, ViacomCBS announced that CBS All Access would be rebranded to feature content from the ViacomCBS library, aside from CBS' entire library. This was later announced to be on September 15th of that year to be named Paramount+. The revamped Paramount+ launched on March 4, 2021, in the US (rebranding from CBS All-Access), the Nordics, and Latin America. The service offers original content, content newly aired on CBS' broadcast properties, and content from the Paramount Global library, including content from the CBS, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon (including Nick Jr.), MTV, the Smithsonian Channel, VH1 and Paramount Pictures brands. The Nordic service shuttered on September 20, 2022, to make room for SkyShowtime, a separate service featuring content from Paramount and Comcast/NBCUniversal. In several other territories, Paramount+ has deals with local streaming services to host content on those services.



1st Logo (2017-2021)


Visuals: The sequence starts in front of a big mountain in the print logo. The logo zooms up, through a blue bar that contains all the stars, the logotype and then another blue bar with the white Paramount+ print logo of the era. The background turns white as the logo, now in blue, is farther away. The print logo flips to the big plus sign that is to the next of "Paramount" in the logo. It slides to the right, then slides to the left as it carries the Nickelodeon logo in blue. The screen then cuts to the plus sign in white over a blue background, then the mountain in a circle (like the print logo), then either the Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV or Channel 5 logo with the plus sign next to it flipped sideways, then three of the plus signs over a blue background, which multiplies.

Trivia: This logo's animation mostly unifies with the Paramount Network branding.

Technique: 2D computer animation, by Alex Norris and Blake Neale at Loyalkaspar and Paramount Global.

Audio: None.

Availability: Seen on the SpongeBob SquarePants episodes "Goofy Scoopers/Pat the Dog" on the Russian service Okko, as well as the 2021 VH1 film Let's Get Merried and other shows from Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and Channel 5 on Paramount+ (as a TV Everywhere service) in Scandinavia, Hungary, Poland, Latin America, and in Russia (the latter on Okko).

2nd Logo (March 4, 2021-)

Visuals: The logo uses the 2011 Paramount Pictures logo starting at the point where the stars skim the lake, making ripples in the process. As stars fly nearer to the mountain, the stars, both incoming and encircling the mountain, become two-dimensional and white in color whilst the background fades into blue. The mountain then transitions into a two-dimensional form with a cut circle wiping behind it, turning the stars into blue; as this is happening, the glossy text "Paramount+" zooms out and fades into white to take place beneath the mountain. A reflection of the "Paramount+" text fades in below.

Trivia:

  • This logo may remind some logo fans of the 1975-1986 Paramount Pictures logo, in which the background fades to blue after a few seconds and the realistic mountain turns into a stylized version, just like the Paramount Players logo.
  • Instead of 22 stars, there are 13 stars in this logo, which represent each letter in the name. The Paramount+ icon later became the icon used for Paramount Global logo on February 16, 2022 and the Paramount Network logo on February 24, 2024.
  • A case study of the branding can be viewed on Loyalkaspar's website here, while a case study of the logo and name can be shown on Paramount Global's website here.

Variants:

  • A prototype version of the 12-second version of this logo exists; some of the stars animate differently in this version.
  • On the 12-second and six-second variants of this logo:
    • For Paramount+ originals, the the white text "ORIGINAL", in Paramount's custom typeface, Peak Sans, zooms in from behind the "Paramount+" text.
    • For Paramount+ exclusives, the above variant is used, but "EXCLUSIVE" replaces "ORIGINAL".
    • For the Channel 5 airing of Paramount+ Presents: Halo, the above variant is used, but "ORIGINAL SERIES" replaces "ORIGINAL".
    • For the Channel 5 airing of Paramount+ Presents: Tulsa King, the above variant is used, but "PRESENTS" replaces "ORIGINAL".
  • A six-second version of the logo also exists. It lacks the 2011 Paramount Pictures logo as the backdrop, leaving the background blue throughout. It is also sped up in the app variant, but it can be viewed in portrait and landscape views.
  • A three-second sped-up version of the above variant also exists, and can be seen when launching the Paramount+ app on mobile devices and TV platforms, like Amazon Fire TV.
  • Another six-second custom variant also exists, which can be found on Nickelodeon-produced original series such as Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, the 2021 Rugrats revival and Star Trek: Prodigy. This variant also cuts much of the logo's formation to make way for the iconic Nickelodeon blimp (modeled after the Kids' Choice Awards trophy, with the 2009 logo on it) to zip from the right of the screen, flying around the logo before abruptly colliding with the mountain, causing the "+" part of the "Paramount+" text to twirl as the blimp lightly floats up.
  • A variant where the bottom text reads "EXCLUSIVE MOVIE" exists.
  • On the preview of the aforementioned 2021 Rugrats revival and the Nickelodeon promo, a three-second version of the logo exists, and it starts at the point where the stars are almost finished encircling the mountain. This version also appears on trailers for Paramount+ content and the end of the films (for example, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin), as well as on The Offer and other future shows.
  • At the end of most shows, a two-second version of the above variant exists. The stars do not animate and the "Paramount+" text is also not in glossy 3D in this version.
  • On shows and films shot in 2.35:1/2.39:1 scope, like season 2 of Why Women Kill and season 5 of The Good Fight, the logo is shifted up so more of the reflection can be seen.
  • On the app versions, when starting up, the logo is sped up. However, sometimes, a special variant may play. The following known variants are shown below:
    • For the release of the Halo TV series, there is an M12 Warthog LRV driving around the logo as it animates before going behind it.
    • For the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, the Jellyfishes turn into the usual stars when the logo animation is almost completed. Then SpongeBob, who is riding on a Jellyfish, in which bubbles in yellow with multicolored gradiants, are shown, floting up, transitiong into a yellow background with multicolored gradiants and black symbols of the motifs of the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise (Hawaiian flowers and Jellyfishes), which serves as the background for the 25th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, as SpongeBob and the Jellyfish stop at the middle of the screen, as SpongeBob waves his hand.
  • A variant cropped to 4:3 was spotted on a Comedy Central UK print of the pilot to The Ren & Stimpy Show, plastering the 1990/91 Nickelodeon Productions logo.
  • On NCIS: Sydney, the logo slowly zooms in.
  • On the trailer for Knuckles, the logo is on a red background at first, but then the blue background appears via one of the rings from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise zooming in.

Technique: CGI by Bigstar. The branding was done by Loyalkaspar. This was based on the design of the 2011 Paramount Pictures logo by Devastudios, which animated using Terragen by Planetside Studios and Autodesk Maya was used as its basis. A digital graphic on the console app bootup screen (which plays before the actual logo when booting up the app on supported platforms). It can also be viewed after the 3D mountain lookaround on Scott Reiger's website here.

Audio: A shimmering theme reminiscent to an orchestra warmup with three initial piano notes, followed by a seven-note string/piano melody (the last seven notes of the 2011 Paramount Pictures logo by Michael Giacchino), finished with a stinger once "Paramount+" flies in. Composed by YouTooCanWoo.

Audio Variants:

  • The six-second version of the logo has a short version of the seven-note theme.
  • The three-second version of the logo has the last note of the aforementioned six-second theme.
  • The two-second version has a different piano note based on the mnemonic.
  • The Nickelodeon variant has the sound effects of the blimp playing over the six-second theme.
  • On episode 9 of post-March 2021 prints of Stephen King's The Stand, the music from the closing CBS All Access Originals logo is heard due to a plastering error.
  • On Paramount+ Latin America's launch day drone show video, a re-orchestrated version of the current Paramount Pictures fanfare by Michael Giacchino is heard.
  • On the app variant, the logo is silent.
  • Otherwise, it's the opening/closing theme of the film/show.
  • The Halo bootup variant just has the sound of tires skidding as the Warthog drives around.
  • The SpongeBob SquarePants 25th Anniversary variant has water sounds.

Availability:

  • This logo first appeared on September 13, 2020 (the day the rebrand was announced) on Paramount+'s introduction video and as an unlisted video on ViacomCBS' official YouTube channel.
  • Starting on March 4, 2021, the logo appears preceding all original content for Paramount+.
    • Pre-March 2021 original series, e.g. Star Trek: Discovery, has it plastering the CBS All Access logos.
  • The Nickelodeon variant made its debut on Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years, and is seen on Nick-produced content made for the service, such as the Rugrats and iCarly reboots, Big Nate, Star Trek: Prodigy, and The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder.
    • It is also seen at the beginning of trailers for Nick-produced Paramount+ content. However, this is removed on linear airings of all of these shows.
  • The six-second version without "ORIGINAL" is seen before and during shows on the Paramount+ Picks channel on Pluto TV and prints of non-original, non-exclusive Paramount+ content (such as Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh, Best & Bester, and The Patrick Star Show) on Prime Video Channels. It is also used as a bumper for other Paramount+ content.
  • The two-second version is seen at the end of most shows on Paramount+.
    • However, it does not appear at the end of Nick- or MTV-produced content for the service.
  • The "EXCLUSIVE" variant is seen on post-March 2021 prints of Coyote.
  • The "EXCLUSIVE MOVIE" variant is so far seen on promos for films released in Australia on the service, and it's unknown if any other countries have this variant.
  • This logo is also preserved on U.S. prints of The In Between, however in other countries when the film is shown on Netflix this gets replaced by the Netflix Originals logo despite Paramount+ being available in those countries.
  • Just like the previous logos, on international prints of some of their shows like Star Trek: Picard gets this logo cut off or have it replaced by other logos such as the Amazon Originals logo.
    • Netflix prints of Star Trek: Prodigy however, remove the Nickelodeon variant of the logo, instead cutting straight into the opening credits.
  • Both the Halo and SpongeBob SquarePants 25th anniversary variants are only available for a limited time during certain months in 2022 and 2024, respectively.

Legacy: This logo is a favorite within the logo and streaming communities, thanks to its animation and fanfare.

3rd Logo (2024-)


Visuals: A quick slideshow of the Paramount Pictures logos throughout the studio's history (including the 75th Anniversary version of the 1986 logo, the 90th Anniversary version of the 2002 logo and the 100 Years version of the 2011 logo), which zooms in as it progressives, then it was followed by the tail end of the 2011 logo, except with 13 stars instead of 22 and the + symbol added next to the Paramount text. Additionally, the Paramount text is also in the same style as the previous two logos.

Variant: A variant of the logo in a vertical aspect ratio exists.

Technique: CGI by Bigstar, based on Devastudios' design.

Audio: The opening theme of the promo.

Availability: Only seen on the promo "A Mountain of Movies".

CBS All Access
Paramount+
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