IMG Studios

Background

IMG Studios (formerly known as IMG Productions, IMG Entertainment, IMG Media, IMG Sports Media and Trans World International) is the television production division of IMG. It operated two offices in the UK and the US, and both companies run until 2008, when it was dropped in favor of the IMG name, and it was reorganized and renamed as "IMG Entertainment", with the sports unit being renamed to "IMG Sports Media", until 2014, when it was renamed to "IMG Productions". From 2006 to 2009, it once owned Tiger Aspect Productions, Tigress Productions and Darlow Smithson Productions, all 3 of these companies were sold off to Endemol. In 2016, the U.S. division was reorganized as IMG Original Content.

Trans World International

1st Logo (1970s-Late 1980s)

Logo: Superimposed in the credits, or on a black or blue background, we see a print version of the Trans World International logo (which consists of a stylized combination of a "T" and a "W", looking similar to the Magnetic Video logo). Below it is "TRANS WORLD INTERNATIONAL, INC." and some copyright info.

Technique: None.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on sports programs produced by TWI, including a 1977 sales reel, Advantage Borg! and UK shows like Stunt Challenge and Kellogg's BMX Challenge.

2nd Logo (1979-1995)

Logo: Against a black background, several gold double half-circle shapes zoom out toward the center of the screen, followed by several gold circles coming from both sides of the screen. The shapes flash brightly, revealing the same stylized "TW" from the previous logo in metallic gold. A copyright notice fades in underneath the logo, also in gold.

Variants:

On Battle of the Network Stars XVI, the logo is in-credit, and the chyroned text "TRANS WORLD INTERNATIONAL" fades in below the logo.
Starting in 1988, the text "TRANS WORLD INTERNATIONAL" flips in below the logo after the animation finishes.

Technique: The merging shapes and the flash.

Music/Sounds: None, the end theme of the show, or a CBS generic theme starting in 1994.

Availability: Seen at the end of old American Gladiators episodes as well as City of Fear, 1984-1988 episodes of Battle of the Network Stars and on US sports programs, but not on UK programmes.

3rd Logo (1991-1995)

Logo: On a black-gray gradient background, we see the Trans World "TW" with the company name stacked in the top-right corner of the symbol, and a copyright disclaimer below it.

Technique: Just a simple fade in and fade out.

Music/Sounds: The closing theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on sports programs from the era. One sighting was on a 1991 horse racing broadcast.

4th Logo (1992-2004)

Logo: On a moving blue background, we see a 3D silver globe that rotates toward the screen. Two pieces of the Trans World logo rotate in as the globe disappears, while the rectangle moves toward the screen, forming a thicker "TW". The company name fades in letter-by-letter and a copyright date appears below.

Variants:

A print version exists.
A later version exists where the logo is rotoscoped and it simply reads "TWI".

Technique: The spinning of the logo.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of the show.

Availability: Seen on British sports programmes from the era, such as Trans World Sport.

5th Logo (1995-2002)

Logo: On a black background, we see a gold version of the TWI logo drawing, with a light effect from behind it. The light then disappears as the company name fades in below.

Variants:

Sometimes, a copyright date is shown below the logo.
Later on, it read "TWI".

Technique: The drawing of the logo.

Music/Sounds: None, the end theme of the show, or a CBS generic theme.

Availability: Seen on Trans World's programs from the time, like The Best of Stars on Ice and Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials.

6th Logo (2002-2008)

Logo: On a black background, we see multiple copies of the TWI logo flip in, before settling in the center and the other copies disappear. As it disappears, the TWI logo turns gold, and the monogram "TWI" fades in below.

Variants:

Sometimes, the logo is still.
Sometimes, the logo is on a white background and "TWI" is in black.
Sometimes, the logo shares the screen with the other logos.

Technique: The flipping.

Music/Sounds: A flute synth theme. Sometimes silent, the end theme of the show, or NBC and CBS generic themes.

Availability: Seen on later Trans World programmes, like Louise Solomon's Yoga & Pilates, early episodes of WWII in Color and other sports programmes.

IMG Productions/Studios

(2008- )

Logo: On a black background, two light flashes appear, then the flash disappears to reveal three blue boxes, each containing the letters "I", "M" and "G", with the "M" structured with three slash parts, which represent the IMG logo. Then, the gray letters reveal the words reading either "ENTERTAINMENT", "PRODUCTIONS", "STUDIOS" or "SPORTS MEDIA", which is placed below the boxes.

Variants:

In its early days, the logo appeared on a sewer cap, which zoomed out and placed it on a wall.
Sometimes, the print version is used.
Sometimes, a copyright date is shown.
Sometimes, the logo shares the screen with the other logos.

Technique: The light flashing, the letters moving.

Music/Sounds: A camera shutter, followed by a crowd cheering.

Music/Sounds Variant: The sewer cap version had a slam sound.

Availability: Common.

The logo appeared on US and UK programmes, but US programmes dropped it in 2016 in favor of using the IMG Original Content logo.
The sewer cap version appeared on Showtime airings of early episodes of Secret Diary of a Call Girl and Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist on Lifetime.
The standard logo had appeared on IMG's programs since 2008 after the TWI logo was dropped, such as Miss Universe 2015, High Society and A Season with Notre Dame Football.
The still version had appeared on sports programmes.