Caracol Televisión

Background

Caracol (acronym of: Cadena Radial Colombiana) Televisión is a Colombian private national television network and production company. It is the biggest television channel in Colombia, owned by Valorem S.A. It had formerly started as a programadora (distribution and production companies that rented spaces on the public Colombian TV) in Canal Uno on August 28, 1969, but after the bidding on November 24, 1997, Caracol Television received its license to operate as a private TV channel.

1st Logo (28 August 1969-1974)

Logo: On a space background, four arrows arranged in the cardinal directions of a compass zoom in as the text "CARACOL" zoom in and rotate as a ring. As it gets closer to the arrows, it tilts to a forward position and stretches out into a box. A box-shaped "C" zooms out in white over the box as "CARACOL" fades inside of the "C". "RADIO-TELEVISION" is seen below as well.

Technique: Motion-controlled animation.

Music/Sounds: A whirring UFO sound (not like Colombiana de Television's sound) is heard at the beginning, followed by a loud trumpet fanfare and an announcer.

Availability: Extinct. Seen on programs at the time, which never aired again in Colombia.

2nd Logo (1975-1981)

Logo: On a black background, a purple ring that grows and shrinks points zooms in as the glowing green text "CARACOL" scroll across the screen at a fixed angle. When it passes through, a green ring emerges and a glass model of the logo from before appears, zooming and rotating towards the screen. It stops for a moment before zooming back.

Technique: Mostly live action.

Music/Sounds: A beeping sound is heard with the announcer, followed by the same theme from before.

Availability: Extinct.

3rd Logo (1981-1983)

Logo: This actually has two versions:

• 1981-1982: On a ocean-like background, a shell rolls into view. A pair of eyes appear and blink, before coming out to reveal a cartoonsnail with the logo on its chest. It then points at the logo while winking at us before he disappears and logo animation follows.
• 1982-1983: On a space background, the same snail, but orange, flies out of a UFO with the same logo on it. It spins a few times before he winks and points at us as it goes off screen. The UFO remains before it disappears and follows into the logo animation.

After this, the Caracol logo, but orange/pink in a black square with a white outline, zooms in and spins to the right side of the screen. The text "CARACOL" in a much thinner font, comes down in a reverse roller coaster effect, coming off with a trail. 2 white lines draw above and below the text.

Technique: Cel animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as the first logo.

Availability: Maybe a bit more common than before, but still very rare.

4th Logo (1983-1987)

Logo: On a dark blue background, the snail, holding a microphone and having Caracol's logo for the time on his chest, which is a abstract orange shell, crawls into view with a spotlight over it. It takes 2 bows before winking at us as the whole animation zooms out. The logo, but more realistic and in a yellow color, zooms in and shines.

Variant: A version exists where the snail is seen reading a book before it winks at the screen and the animation continues as normal.

Technique: Cel animation.

Music/Sounds: Same as before.

Availability: Again, very rare.

5th Logo (1987-1998)

Logo: On a dark blue gradient, various orange lines scroll across the screen as silver bars fly across the bottom of the screen. A rectangle then swings in front of the camera and the silver and orange bars slide all across the screen, along with the text "CARACOL" in a tall font and other colored lines. One "CARACOL" then stops in front of the screen and twirls around, clearing everything out. It then rests on the right side of the screen as a square made of lines flies in and rests next to it. A orange shell, this time abstract, then spins onto the square and lines slide in over the logo.

Variants:

• A short version exists.
• A later version has a purple background, the CGI being more notable, and "TELEVISION" appearing below.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Bubbling sounds, followed by a remastered and rearranged version of the trumpet fanfare. An announcer is usually heard.

Availability: Rare. ^[Examples?]

6th Logo (1998-2000)

Logo: On a black background, a shining light appears. As it dies down, it reveals a dark blue swirling background, in which a few lines form "CARACOL". A green ball and orange crescents form in. A blue bar wipes in a square and a line. The swirls continue to move.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: An even more majestic remake of the fanfare.

Availability: Extinct,

7th Logo (2000-2003)

Logo: A flash of light forms, revealing a yellow sky. We fade to the green ball, which we zoom out from, as the crescents form and the word "CARACOL" flashes in and each letter rotates into place, against a blue background. The blue square behind the logomark forms, and the word "TV" in a blue ball bounces into position.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: Same as the previous logo.

Availability: Extinct.

8th Logo (2003-2007)

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Logo: We zoom in on a blue tunnel background, then zoom out to reveal a blue ball with gold streaks circling it. As the background changes from blue to gold, the silver "CARACOL" letters appear, and everything settles in place. The words "T.V. INTERNACIONAL" zoom out below the logo (in Eurostile), before the word "TELEVISION" suddenly fades in in its place.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: An extended version of the previous logo's music.

Availability: Extinct.

9th Logo (2007-2009)

Logo: In a bluish-grey background, various light dots and streaks are seen. The camera turns to the usual Caracol logo with the crescents spinning, and the tagline "más cercas de ti" appears from the left, letter-by-letter.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A smooth rock theme.

Availability: Very rare.

10th Logo (2009-2012)

Logo: We are shown multiple white lights, the large ones on the bottom flashing and the tiny ones moving in a spiral motion. The company name appears through the flashes with "TELEVISIÓN" fading in below, whilst the dots above explode into larger dots to reveal the logo. The dots disappear and the spirals around the rotate continuously.

Technique: CGI.

Music/Sounds: A fast-paced fanfare with five trumpet notes and drums playing in the background.

Availability: Extinct.