Guthy-Renker

Guthy-Renker (/ˈɡʌθi ˈrɛŋkər/ GUTH-ee RENG-kər) is a California-based direct-response marketing company founded in November 1988 by Bill Guthy and Greg Renker that sells health and beauty products directly to consumers through infomercials, television ads, direct mail, telemarketing, e-mail marketing, and the Internet. Many of its products are endorsed by celebrities including actresses and musicians. Ron Perelman of Forbes Holdings Inc. bought a 37.5 percent share of Guthy-Renker in 1993 in exchange for $25 million and priority access to air-time on Perelman's television stations. In 1996, Perelman's stake in the company was resold to News Corp and Guthy-Renker bought it back.

(1995-2007)
Logo: On a white background, a series of lines draw in from the left side of the screen to the right. revealing a color scheme of red/yellow lines above green lines. A multicolored spiral globe then spins in from the left, and as it moves to the bottom right corner of the screen, the globe's color changes to navy blue and the background becomes blue/purple. The background then zooms out and becomes a white, shiny rounded square with gray lines converging from the right, making the globe have a "zoom" effect. As the globe stops spinning, "GUTHY·RENKER VIDEO" zooms in below the logo. Parts of the logo shine.

Variants:
 * On later releases from the company, "VIDEO" is absent from the company name.
 * Some later releases have "ENTERTAINMENT" below the company name.
 * On infomercials with this logo, a notice appears below the company name (which lacks "VIDEO"), reading "The following is a paid presentation by Guthy-Renker for (product name).[TM]"
 * Another variant was used in Australia, with the words "Australia & New Zealand" fade in below it, also in the same blue color.
 * Some videotapes have "Fitness" wipe in underneath the logo in a script font.

Technique: The lines wiping, the globe turning, and the shining. Typical 1990's computer animation.

Music/Sounds: An 8-note synth theme, followed by 7 synth piano notes. During the theme, a man is heard saying "The symbol in quality entertainment: Guthy-Renker Video."

Music/Sounds Variants:
 * On the "VIDEO"-less variant, there is no announcer. The same goes for the "ENTERTAINMENT" version.
 * DVD releases with the "VIDEO"-less variant have the audio muffled.
 * The Australian variant has a loud synthesized whoosh followed by a low droning noise.
 * On infomercials, an announcer reads out the on-screen text.
 * This logo's jingle appeared at the end of an infomercial for Malibu Pilates, although the animated logo never appears aside from a still version showing up on the ending screen. An announcer says "The preceding has been a paid advertisement for Malibu Pilates with Susan Lucci, from Guthy-Renker!" over the theme, and it trails off into the copyright screen.

Availability: Appears on Guthy-Renker VHS and DVD releases from the era, notably The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and The Carol Burnett Show. The "VIDEO" version was restricted to VHS releases. The "ENTERTAINMENT" variant can be spotted on several DVDs of The Carol Burnett Show. This also appeared at the start of a 1999 infomercial for the Proactiv skincare system and a later infomercial for Winsor Pilates.