BBC Two of competition since ITV's launch in 1955, and both had aimed for a populist approach in response. The 1962 Pilkington Report on the future of broadcasting noticed this, and that ITV lacked any serious programming. It therefore decided that Britain's third television station should be awarded to the BBC. Prior to its launch, the new BBC2 was promoted on the BBC Television Service: the soon to be renamed BBC1. The animated adverts featured the campaign mascots "Hullabaloo", a mother kangaroo, and "Custard", her joey. Prior to, and several years after, the channel's formal launch, the channel broadcast "Trade Test Transmissions",
What Were You Hoping For? a laugh." L. Michael Gipson of "Creative Loafing" notes David Bowie and Lenny Kravitz as references points for Hunt's songwriting, and writes that "What Were You Hoping For?" explores "both sides of the political aisles" with metaphorical songs such as "North Hollywood", "Designer Jeans", and the title track, as well as themes concerning an intimate relationship with the songs "Moving Targets", "Falls (Violet)", and "Cross Dresser". Certain songs were inspired by the effects of the late-2000s recession and Hunt's experience in North Hollywood, a district marked by population density, low income, and other recession-related issues. Hunt said of the district,