Case Study 009 → TeenNick
Owning “in-between” — A new brand, visual, and social identity for TeenNick that made space for the awkward, aspirational, and internet-native energy of Gen Z.
As Nickelodeon’s tween-targeted sibling network, TeenNick faced a generational crossroads. With a struggling online presence and a brand identity still anchored in the Millennial era, the network came to us for a total reinvention—one that could bridge the nostalgia of fan-favorite shows like iCarly and Victorious with the irreverent, hyper-connected humor of today’s Gen Z youth.
Our challenge? Rethink TeenNick for the real audience tuning in: kids ages 8–11, who were craving a brand that understood the messiness, weirdness, and wild potential of being “not a little kid, but not quite a teen.” What we built was a bold, punchy, modular identity that made TeenNick feel alive again—both on-air and online. My contributions to the project included:
–Developing core brand positioning and audience strategy rooted in research, cultural analysis, and real tween interviews
– Writing and editing pitch materials used to win and sell the total rebrand to internal Nickelodeon executives
– Creating a new tone of voice and messaging system that embraced the chaos and charm of the in-between era– Conducting deep content audits of the TeenNick archive, watching hours of programming to extract iconic one-liners, meme-able moments, and references for interstitials and social graphics–Casting, concepting, and writing scripts for vignettes, bumpers, and interstitials blending real kids with fan-favorite shows in fun, unexpected, and relateable ways– Designing social toolkits and content strategies aimed at rebooting TeenNick’s digital presence for the Insta/Snap/TikTok generation.
Insights: Rebranding a youth network in the age of TikTok and Twitch isn’t about chasing trends—it’s about recognizing how kids are already expressing themselves and giving them a brand that reflects that back with heart, humor, and honesty. We found that the kids watching TeenNick weren’t looking to grow up too fast; they were looking for something that met them in the middle, where silliness, self-discovery, and screen time all coexisted.
By tapping into the vibe of early fandom culture—before it got algorithmic—we gave TeenNick permission to embrace its legacy without feeling dated. The result was a brand that finally felt like the audience it was meant to serve.
Impact: The TeenNick rebrand debuted to internal acclaim at Nickelodeon and sparked new momentum across social, digital, and broadcast channels — ultimately earning acclaim as one of Promax’s Top 10 Rebrands of 2019 and glowing coverage in Brand New Reviewed, Working Not Working, UnderConsideration, and others. Six years later, the brand system and social strategies we developed continues to inform programming blocks, digital marketing, and campaign activations across the broader Nickelodeon ecosystem, reinvigorating a network that had been lagging behind in relevance and reconnecting it with a new generation of pre-teens through an identity that embraced play, imperfection, and pure Gen Z chaos.