Boston Symphony Orchestra / Tanglewood / Boston Pops

Over the 16 years we’ve been working with the BSO (including Tanglewood and Pops), we’ve helped to better define each brand, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of scores of communications initiatives, and worked across the organization to better connect their efforts in marketing, development, corporate sponsorship, and media relations.

Starting with a comprehensive qualitative research project, coupled with a review of quantitative research the organization had commissioned, we evolved a brand program to serve the organization’s three main brands—while simultaneously collaborating to get a subscription piece out the door. Initially, the project was very much design / build: there was no time to sit back and develop a system; the communications the organization needed had to stay on schedule!

We participated in their most recent capital campaign, drove many aspects of their Symphony Hall Centennial initiative, crafted programs for their high-end giving societies, put in place communications for a new corporate friends program, developed and produced their first donor-centric annual report, launched a successful planned giving program, initiated a program to attract younger subscribers, and collaborated to develop the strategy and materials for a very successful corporate sponsorship program.

The real win, according to BSO leadership, is that we collaborated to build a brand system that enables them to build recognition and connection among different constituencies—and also have the flexibility to support new seasonal campaigns each year.

The system is strong enough, and flexible enough, that we’ve been able to tune it to different audiences and initiatives—and to manage it forward as technologies, audiences, and expectations change.

Kim Noltemy, Chief Operating and Marketing Officer

We’ve recently revised the guidelines for all four BSO brands and continue to be their brand counsel and collaborate on special projects.