Following the successful launch of BBC NL, BBC Studios sought to introduce a dedicated BBC brand for Flemish audiences in Belgium. The challenge was not to create a new identity from scratch, but to adapt an existing brand system in a way that felt culturally authentic while maintaining consistency with the wider BBC Studios portfolio.

The challenge

The BBC NL toolkit provided a strong visual and motion framework, but simply replicating it in Belgium risked creating a brand that felt imported rather than locally relevant.

The opportunity was to build on the existing system while finding a visual language that reflected Flemish culture, taste, and identity.

My role

Working as Senior Designer and Design Lead, I led the cultural research and creative development that informed the Belgian adaptation of the brand.

Rather than approaching the project as a straightforward rollout, I began by conducting in-depth research into Flemish culture, exploring historic and contemporary influences across art, architecture, fashion, cuisine, landscape, and graphic design.

The objective was to identify familiar visual characteristics that could inform the brand's expression and create a stronger connection with local audiences.I consolidated this research into a strategic presentation for affiliate and marketing teams, translating cultural observations into a curated Colour Palette.

Research-driven design

The research and pitch revealed recurring themes across Flemish visual culture: boldness, warmth, joyfulness, harmonious contrast.

Drawing inspiration from Flemish Masters, Belgian graphic design, regional architecture, natural landscapes, and everyday cultural references, I developed a curated colour system designed specifically for the Flemish market.The resulting palette allowed the BBC Belgium identity to feel locally relevant and friendly.

Evolving the system

Building on the foundations established for BBC NL, I adapted the visual and motion toolkits to incorporate the new colour strategy across every touchpoint.

This included:
• On-air branding and promotions
• Social media assets
• DOOH campaign formats
• Marketing toolkits
• Partnership activations

By evolving rather than replacing the system, the identity retained consistency across markets while creating a distinct personality for Belgium.

Partnerships

The visual language extended beyond traditional marketing channels into physical brand experiences.A key activation included a partnership with Jules Destrooper, creating a bespoke biscuit tin, using the adapted visual language to connect the channel with a recognisable piece of local culture.

Outcome

The project demonstrates how cultural research can become a design tool. Rather than treating localisation as a surface-level visual exercise, the work translated insights from Flemish culture into a scalable brand expression that could be adopted across broadcast, digital and OOH.

By connecting audience insight with design systems thinking, the project established a version of the BBC brand that felt both internationally consistent and locally meaningful.