• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, April 24, 2008

As Oxygen moves firmly under the thumbprint of NBC Universal, the network is altering its brand ID, launching a new tagline--"Live Out Loud"--and logo.

The network had already jettisoned the "Oh!" moniker that had been used under the previous ownership (NBCU acquired the network in late 2007) for years. That carried a pink hue. Oxygen's new image - coming in June and announced at an upfront event Wednesday--will include a yellow "O" linked with the title "Oxygen." The new tagline will adjoin the logo on all Oxygen properties from on-air to online to materials targeting media buyers. That's pivotal as the network moves toward its first upfront under its new corporate parent. A new Oxygen.com comes this summer.

Oxygen has been paired with Bravo under NBCU's structure--and the chief of Bravo sales, Susan Malfa, now holds the same role at Oxygen.

Oxygen described the new tagline as "developed for women who like to look good, feel good and have fun living life on their own terms." The network's sweet spot is women ages 18 to 34, and Malfa pegged its positioning last week as "sort of Bravo's spunkier, younger sister."

To define its audience to media buyers in the pre-upfront season, the network has developed a "Generation O" tag--referring to "trenders, spenders and recommenders." That will appear prominently in trade advertising (launching May 5) and marketing materials.

"Generation O"--described as "young trenders who consume heavily and influence others' spending patterns"--has a similar ethos to "Affluencers," which sister network Bravo uses in its trade marketing. Bravo characterizes "Affluencers" as an audience with disposable income that sparks word-of-mouth.

Oxygen, which is overseen by Bravo Media head Lauren Zalaznick, promises to play an increasingly important role within NBCU. The company views its entertainment cable assets as growth engines and - even pre-Oxygen--it represented one-third of the profits, according to NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker at a presentation last year.

"When NBCU acquired Oxygen last year, our goal was simple: We needed to add value and momentum to the company's cable portfolio," said Zalaznick.

On the programming front, the network said it will offer either a new series or fresh episodes of one every Tuesday at 10. That begins with the third season of the "Tori & Dean" reality franchise, focusing on Hollywood personality Tori Spelling and her husband, on June 17.

Oxygen also unwrapped some of the first programming in development under its new leadership. The three reality series range from a competition show involving dancing and weight loss to four singles in New York pursuing a music career to a kind of newsmagazine about celebrities that charts their rise and fall.