My Week with Split-Screen Credits: Gen2 Blocks

 

Madeline Fretz - Now that we've talked about the regular squeezebacks that aired during the Second Generation, it's time to talk about the squeezebacks that aired during Sprout's programming blocks during the "Gen2."

On Season 5 (or 3, if Melanie and Leo's tenures don't count) of The Good Night Show, the show credits played on a purple screen on a tree with a bird's nest and the Sprout logo on a leaf. This practice is shown in the above video. By Season 6, the credits played on a frame with leaves.

On The Super Sproutlet Show, the credits would play on a blue screen while Bean or Mayor Meanswell would talk to the viewers.

Image from YouTube

With the Sunny Side Up Show set change in 2013, the credits would play on an overhead screen outside the Sunshine Barn.

My Week with Split-Screen Credits: Second Generation

Madeline Fretz - The second generation daytime block squeezebacks came in two forms.

In this one, the show credits would play on a frame by a tree. Hanging from a branch on that tree was a milk carton birdfeeder which would show the words "next" and "later on" and a picture of the show coming up next or later on.

In the other, the show credits would play on a yellow frame hanging from a tree, next to a ladybug on a flower. A tire swing adjacent to the frame showed the words "next" and "later on" and a picture of the show coming up next or later on. 

Image from YouTube

This squeezeback practice aired during nighttime and early mornings, and supposedly took place in the Goodnight Garden. The credits would play on a blue and purple screen, a blue star would read the words "next" and "later on" and show a picture of the show next or later on, and the Sprout logo was on a full, Kix cereal-like moon. 

My Week with Split-Screen Credits: Gen1 Blocks

 

Madeline Fretz - I talked about the split-screen credits of The Good Night Show in a previous post, but I'm going to talk about them again today along with the other programming blocks squeezebacks that aired during the first generation.

The Good Night Show squeezebacks were a bit similar to the regular squeezabacks, but the lollipop was replaced by a bird's nest as time went by.

Image from YouTube

The split-screen credits played on the set of The Sunny Side Up Show, on the pink toaster-like screen. With the set renovation in 2009, the credits played on the purple screen. During split-screen credits, the hosts would usually read viewers' messages.

On The Sprout Sharing Show, the credits would play on an easel while Patty would talk to the viewers, generally assisted by other characters.

On The Let's Go Show, the credits would play on an overhead screen between trees, while Miles and Banjo would watch the end of shows while driving Carla the Car. To me, this seemed like a throwback to the old "drive-in movie" thing.

...And this was the squeezeback used during Sprout Diner March Menu. Slightly resembled the regular squeezebacks, except with healthy food instead of lollipops.

My Week with Branding

 Over the years, Sprout has had a few brandings and ad campaigns to promote itself. Now, I’m not talking about the first, second, and third generations, but rather some of Sprout's ad campaigns and prominent brandings.

• A Lot Happens When You Sprout: A Further Look
• Live Sprout
• Purple Television
• Out of the Box

Now, the reason why there was no post for Wednesday is that I ran out of topics relating to this week's theme to post about. Instead I posted a new Weekly Character Wednesdays post on Star you can read here!

My Week with Branding: Out of the Box

 

Image from YouTube

Madeline Fretz - No, this post is not about the Playhouse Disney show from the 90s. This is about the second generation.

Anyways, Sprout rebranded on September 21st, 2009, which was also the day Season 5 of The Good Night Show and Rubbadubbers premiered (even though "sneak peeks" were shown for the rebrand, like this one). The second generation consisted of "Sproutlet-constructed" intros which featured real kids and their parents playing and opening a cardboard shoebox which opened to the hills of Sprout - leading to the shows or blocks we were about to see. When the blocks ended, the parents closed the same box from the openings. This rebrand really made Sprout unique, and different from its competitors (such as Nick Jr. and Disney Junior).

Image from YouTube

In addition, the promos that aired on the channel between shows ended with a box closing the promo screen, with the show title, time (or block), and cute illustrations depicted. 

*Also* in addition, the box opening was also used online. A box with pictures of the Sunny Side Up Show hosts, Nina and Star, The Wiggles, Caillou, and Elmo would be opened, leading to the Sproutonline.com welcome page.

Anyways, the whole Sproutlet-constructed box thing was good for Sprout and was pretty fun when it lasted. Bar none.

My Week with Branding: Purple Television

 

Image from YouTube

In 2007, Sprout partnered with Red Tettemer for an ad campaign called We Share. In promos, posters, and online advertisements (even a game) for We Share, we saw the Sprout logo in a purple television (In the promo, the television showed clips from shows such as Jay Jay the Jet Plane, The Berenstain Bears, and Sesame Street before showing the logo). 

Image from Behance

The television was tan/yellow in some posters as well as the "Video" button on the 2007 version of Sproutonline.com.

However, the television in the Video button became purple (or pink) the same year.

The purple television also appeared in the "Sprout is Always Here for You" jingle, which appeared before shows on-demand, where it morphed into a purple computer…

…In the Bright House Networks/Sprout commercials from 2008…

…in a 2008 PSA for The Great Sprout Tuck-In, Sprout's partnership with the Pajama Program…

…in PBS promos…

…and in show outros.

In 2009, the television likewise got a makeover (as shown in the "Sprout is Yours to Share" on-demand jingle and in show outros). 

However, the 2007 purple television was still used in a 2010 promo I talked about earlier this week, but in a blue background rather than a white one.

My Week with Branding: A Lot Happens When You Sprout: A further look

I talked about the "A Lot Happens When You Sprout" ad campaign in a previous post on this blog, but now, since the post was mostly about a commercial, we're going to take a deep dive into it.

When the A Lot Happens When You Sprout ad campaign launched in 2011, two commercials were made for it. The commercials aired on both Sprout and the NBC Kids block on NBC.

In addition, a few banner ads and promo pictures were made.

Image from Barney Wiki

Image from Behance

…And the slogan was also used in other ads for the channel.

…And even on a bus!

Image from Thomas Hair

A section of Sproutonline.com was made called Project ZONKED, in which parents could upload videos of their children and make them into Sprout commercials with the slogan, like this one…