If making a playlist for someone, I'd likely assume that there is not a wide audience for tunes by a children's orchestra. I've always thought of classical music as a genre I should like or listen to more. Portland has a reputation for being a highly creative city and, turns out, there are some unlikely masters of music that deserved to be lifted up.
Seasons 83-84 audience materials
As marketing ramped up for the 83rd season, it was clear that individual musicians truly needed to be the stars of the campaign. It’s not that they’d never been portrayed, but the photography was often pulled back from individuals to showcase the whole ensemble. As efforts continued in season 84, moving to a focused and rich image allowed the viewer to see their mastery up-close. Moments were captured as they tuned their instruments. These kids are serious performers and the organization wanted to highlight this to urge potential buyers to secure tickets to a captivating musical experience.
portlandyouthphil.org desktop
With that shift, I created the new season brochure to inspire awe of these young talents and give more background on the pieces they would perform. The increased visual proximity allowed out-of-home media to break the barrier between the orchestra and the public. Street banners adorned light poles in the southwest arts district. The brand was applied in a consistent way to the web site and gave users better access to show details. Lastly, I made them recognizable on-the-go by adding graphics to their instrument truck.
Giving an inside peek at their craft and pushing the media publicly improved subscriber rates across the two seasons.
Poster at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
Instrument truck branding