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Branding: Do Orchestras Need This?
Branding: Do Orchestras Need This?
Since the League of American Orchestras changed how they sent out their weekly media and industry updates, I don’t get to read them as often as I used to. Too bad because it was a nice, easy way to quickly see what was happening with other orchestras. I had a few moments today to visit The Hub (where they keep this info nowadays) and stumbled across an article I found interesting and amusing. It’s about branding - a topic I think about fairly regularly.
It seems that the Augusta Symphony in Georgia announced that it has adopted the new brand of Symphony Orchestra Augusta (SOA), along with a new logo and mission statement. According to the article, topics under review included perceptions of the orchestra, including its focus, responsibilities, and relevance to residents of the Central Savannah River Area.
I guess I found it a bit amusing because this doesn’t seem like a significant enough change to have a whole lot of impact. I could be dead wrong about this, and I’m sure the good people at SOA conducted their process very thoughtfully. It might be interesting to understand more about how they came to this decision.
The Chicago Sinfonietta has some brand challenges as well. We conducted focus groups earlier this year and when asked about our name, most respondents couldn’t pronounce it properly or define what it means. We have over 22 years of “equity” in the name so changing it isn’t in the offing. Any ideas from our very astute readers? I’d be interested to find out how important you think branding is for the orchestral world in general. Have at it!
Comments
In today's world it seems
Mon, 8/31/2009 - 11:27am — BrianNIn today's world it seems that everyone and every group is branding themselves. There has got to be some sort of fine line somewhere. I am not convinced that an orchestra needs this. casino
Branding - Do We Need It?
Wed, 9/9/2009 - 1:41pm — Jim HirschBrian,
Thanks for your comment. Do orchestras need a brand? I would guess that the CSO thinks that it does. I would also venture to guess that Music of the Baroque, Grant Park, and many, if not most of our other Chicago-based ensembles do as well. Speaking for the Chicago Sinfonietta, we feel that our branding helps to not only differentiate us in a very competitive market, but also helps consumers figure out if we offer what they are looking for,
Jim
why talk about "branding?"
Sat, 8/22/2009 - 1:18pm — PlushWhy talk about "branding" when the group can't play in tune?
Branding
Mon, 8/24/2009 - 12:52pm — Jim HirschPlush,
Baroque Band certainly doesn't need me to defend them as they have established themselves as a welcome addition to the Chicago music scene. Maybe you caught them on a particularly humid night. Aside from your comment, any thoughts about the topic of branding?
In Retrospect
Sat, 8/1/2009 - 5:12am — Garry ClarkeHi Jim,
I was very interested in your comments on branding. It is certainly something that I take very seriously at Baroque Band in creating the feel of the entire organisation. Back in January 2009 I worte a blog about another ensemble that had just changed its name. There were several reasons for the name change but as you'll see by the 17 responses both musicians in the group and its audiences got very passionate (I might even say 'hot under the collar') about the issue.
Branding
Wed, 8/5/2009 - 8:01am — Jim HirschHi Garry,
Hey, at least it shows that they care and are paying attention. For what its worth, I really like the work you've done in branding Baroque Band, and I'm not just saying that because you are a member of this site and a colleague. I love the informality of the name and the sense that the concerts will be accessible to a broad audience. It would be interesting to know more about how you came up with the entire brand identity for Baroque Band.
Branding changes
Thu, 7/16/2009 - 1:54pm — Anonymous"this doesn’t seem like a significant enough change to have a whole lot of impact"
As I stumbled across this blog today, I immediately thought of the uproar in Chicago as the Sears Tower officially becomes the Willis Tower. Did you know 35,000 people took the time to sign an on-line petition against the giving away of the naming rights that were bargained for by the English company?
My point merely is to suggest that things that may seem insignificant like the twisting of a name, a logo, or the mission can actually represent a twist of fate for many organizations. It seems that along with the above changes, the Symphony Orchestra Augusta has also hired a new Maestro, Shizuo Z. All together I think this could really be a new era for the SOA.
Branding
Mon, 7/20/2009 - 8:21am — Jim HirschHi Anon,
Interesting comparison to the Sears Tower name change. And yes, they clearly saw an opportunity with the new music director to freshen things up a bit. I still don't get much of a sense of what the new brand is supposed to make me think/feel about who they are, what they do, and why it might be relevant for others. As I said in the blog, I'm sure they did a lot of good thinking about this, and there must be a great deal of reinforcing images/messages/materials that we haven't seen. I'd be interested in your and others thoughts about orchestra branding - good and bad. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Jim
Branding
Thu, 7/16/2009 - 1:16pm — AnonymousHi Anon,
Great point, especially in our field. Would that also be the case for an ensemble that you weren't familiar with?
Jim
brand can help but i usually
Thu, 7/16/2009 - 9:45am — Anonymousbrand can help but i usually go for proudct/quality. just like buying clothes.
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