100 Years of our BBC - Celebratory Postage Stamps
Ben Glazier
Owner, Glazier Design Creative Agency. Branding, Graphic and Digital Design.
In a stunning collaboration with the BBC, we have created a set of twelve stamps for the Isle of Man Post Office marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the BBC. We designed the set to celebrate the many iconic programmes – from Doctor Who and Match of the Day to Blue Peter and Strictly Come Dancing – that have been so much a part of all our lives across so many decades.
The BBC has a great history
The British Broadcasting Company was formed on 18th October 1922 by a group of leading wireless manufacturers including Marconi. As we designed this set for the Isle of Man Post Office, it's important to point out that Manxman Sir Frank Gill played a vital role in the formation of the BBC, convincing six organisations to form under the British Broadcasting Corporation entity. Daily broadcasting by the BBC began in Marconi’s London studio on 14th November 1922. It is now the world’s longest-running, continuous public service broadcaster, and the first to mark its centenary.
Our office is a stone's throw from the BBC
We have been based nearby for many years. All the bars and restaurants nearby (including our favourite Riding House Café) rely on the constant creative trade of executives, producers and staffers who bring a vibrancy to the area. The fabulous Art Deco frontage of Broadcasting House and the new build behind rise up over Fitzrovia - a presence we all feel, like a focal point for our area. So it wasn't just an honour to design this set, it felt familial as well, as if we'd been asked to bake a cake for a very special Auntie's birthday.
Our ‘100 Years of Our BBC’ collection
Was designed in collaboration Robert Seatter, Head of History at the BBC and designer James Dicken, who created a stunning set of stamps. The stamps contain iconic images from 100 years of world-leading broadcasting, representing comedy to soaps, news to the environment and sport to children’s entertainment. They feature the multi-coloured BBC 100 ident that has been created for the BBC 100th anniversary, as well as subtle graphic references and quotes related to the programme pictured on the stamp.
Was it a difficult task choosing just twelve iconic programmes?
Absolutely. We wanted to represent as many genres of BBC programme making as we could, and we soon found that a set of fifty might have been easier. If you are asking "where is The Archers?", you could ask the same about a long, long list we had. In the end we chose programmes that could be represented by an iconic image, that showed a diversity in production styles, that could be rights-cleared (very important) and that we hope spanned the breadth of experience we all have of the BBC.
Robert Seatter, Head of BBC History said:
“The BBC is delighted to be marking one hundred years of the BBC with this special set of special anniversary stamps for the Isle of Man. Selecting just twelve moments was extremely hard, but we hope we have captured something for everyone – across radio, television and online, and connecting with the range of genres from news and factual programming to comedy, children’s, and entertainment.”
And here's one we made earlier:
Stamp One - Doctor Who
The Tardis from Doctor Who, the longest running sci-fi series in the world, underpinned by some intergalactic explanation: Time and Relative Dimensions in Space.
Doctor Who had to be our number one stamp - no other programme has made such an impact on generations of our family - my kids adore it and have done since they were small. They have hidden behind the sofa, shouted at the screen, fallen in love with Doctors and Companions, just as we did when we were small.
The announcement of Ncuti Gatwa as the new Doctor is stunning casting and with Yasmine Finney from Heartstopper as a companion, our house is simmering with anticipation!
Stamp Two - Strictly Come Dancing
The glitter ball trophy from the light entertainment series Strictly Come Dancing, together with Bruce Forsyth’s immortal catchphrase: Keep Dancing!
Stamp Three - Blue Peter
The Blue Peter badge from the longest-running Children’s show in the world, with its famous instruction: Here’s one I made earlier.
Stamp Four - BBC News
The BBC News globe, symbol of international communication, with its on air announcement: Here is the News from the BBC.
Stamp Five - Match of the Day
A heritage Match of the Day ident from the much-loved BBC Sport programme, together with the memorable World Cup 1966 commentary: They think it’s all over… it is now.
Stamp Six - Planet Earth
A stunning alpine parrot from the BBC Natural History programming, championed by Sir David Attenborough, with his important global message: The future of life on earth depends on us now.
Stamp Seven - Blackadder
Blackadder’s ruff with eponymous adder emerging from it from the BBC Comedy series of the same name, together with his wily words: I have a cunning plan!
Stamp Eight - Eastenders
The bust of Queen Victoria from the Queen Vic pub in Albert Square, as featured in the nation’s favourite soap, EastEnders, accompanied by its cliff-hanger theme tune: Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof-Doof!
Stamp Nine - BBC Proms
A musical symbol of the BBC Proms, the largest classical music festival in the world, with its open-hearted message: Welcome to the BBC Proms from the Royal Albert Hall.
Stamp Ten - Desert Island Discs
Just one of eight Desert Islands Discs, the show that was recently voted the best radio show ever, with the immortal instruction: Eight tracks, a book and a luxury.
Stamp Eleven - BBC Bitesize
The Bitesize logo, celebrating the ground-breaking education service for young people, linked to the words of the BBC mission: Inform, educate, entertain!
Stamp Twelve - Sky at Night
The iconic Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore remembered here, silhouetted against the moon, with the words: World’s longest running TV show with the same presenter.
Where can you get the stamps?
From the Isle of Man Post Office
A first day cover is simply stunning - the full set, post marked on the first day of issue.
The full sheet set - good enough to frame!
The stamp collector's dream - a presentation pack of loose stamps
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2 年oh lovely