CNN begins teasing its debate with an updated look

CNN latched onto the opportunity to promote its own debate broadcasts even as post-game coverage of the first one was still cooling down. 

During its roundup coverage the morning Friday, June 28, 2019, CNN inserted a promo box for its July 30 and 31 debate in Detroit.

NBC broadcast the first democratic debate June 26 and 27.

The box uses a look for CNN presidential race coverage that hasn’t been seen before, though it’s not immediately clear if the design is for the debate only or its entire 2020 look.

In fact, the angles used appear to closely (if not exactly) match the prominent diagonals created thanks to the downward stroke of the “Ns” in the logo.

The logo itself appears as a ghosted background element.

CNN is also placing its red logo inside of a white box with thin red border on one side only.

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Meanwhile, to the right of the logo are the words “Democratic Presidential Debates” in a condensed form of CNN Sans.

The first two lines are in blue, while “Debates” appears slightly larger and in red.

During “New Day,” the studio’s video wall background featured a look that is more in line with the network’s existing election design with curved corners and layered 3D effects. 

CNN used this look for the 2016 race and debates.

2017 saw this look.

The 2018 midterm elections used this brighter look.

CNN’s creative director Jonathan Kemp tweeted an image that mirrored the look found in the promo box.

pic.twitter.com/EVUydgc1KL

— Jonathan Kemp (@jonkempcnn) June 28, 2019

The version Kemp tweeted includes additional shadow and light burst detail as well as a gradient fill in the lettering.