Hartford Symphony Orchestra

Evolving a lively, sophisticated, inclusive brand to engage diverse audiences

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra, a mid-sized, regional orchestra, offers something for everyone—from a traditional Masterworks series to collaborations with artists such as breakdancers and circus performers, to an outdoor music festival where they play hits of popular bands.

But their brand did not convey what a high-quality, multifaceted, and forward-thinking orchestra they are—or how inviting and enjoyable their concert experiences are—whether one is an orchestra aficionado or completely new to orchestral music. Nor was their brand speaking to the diverse communities of their region.

We worked with the Orchestra to articulate key brand attributes and core storylines and evolve a high-level message as well as constituent-specific messages. We also put in place an easy-to-understand brand architecture of their offerings, updated their existing primary identifier, and developed a visual system that conveys the vibrancy, fun, and unexpected aspects of the organization. Much as their offerings bridge genres, the new brand engages the different audiences (and potential audiences) of greater Hartford

Their new marketing materials (we’re now in our third season) capture the essence and brand promises of the organization. Ticket sales have been up 10% and 12% year-over-year for the past two seasons.

Objectives

Grow and diversify audiences—and attendant earned revenue
Increase market penetration within historic, core market
Simultaneously, increase awareness and participation among new audiences
Demonstrate that the HSO is more than classical performances at a concert hall
Bring forward their education and community initiatives
Reinforce the HSO’s role in enriching greater Hartford
Clarify and articulate the HSO’s vision, internally and externally
Bring sub-brands / series closer to the HSO, in naming and visual expression
Evolve a system of visual expression that speaks to both the traditional and innovative dimensions of the HSO
Develop messaging that resonates with current and prospective audiences and donors
Create seasonal marketing communications that are “fresh on the kitchen table” while always building recognition and brand equity

Collaboration

Engaged diverse stakeholders in a thorough investigative phase
Distilled a set of guiding attributes to inform decisions, writing, posts, and design
Developed an externally focused messaging framework to compellingly convey reasons to attend and support, including constituent-specific messages targeted to different age groups
Created a primary identifier system to serve as a platform for telling the HSO’s story and unify the visual expression of their range of offerings
Designed an engaging system of visual expression, informed by attributes and storylines: “tiltable” for different offerings, audiences, and opportunities
Configured a brand strategy and architecture that give the appropriate amount of differentiation to the HSO’s different lines of business, while ensuring that the orchestra “gets credit”
Refined a set of “ways in” for donors—the intersections between institutional priorities and donor interests and passions, including emphasis on civic value
Wrote and designed key communication vehicles, including brochures and concert guides—materials that increased earned revenue
Transferred knowledge to the HSO team thorough documentation, training, and workshops—to set them up for success

Scope

Qualitative interviews
Internal and external communication audits
Brand strategy / architecture
Strategic + creative brief
Messaging framework
New primary identifier system
Building blocks of visual expression
Design prototypes
Masterworks brochure
Translating the brand system to website
Brand documentation
Board and staff workshops

Vibrant visual design that expresses tradition and innovation

The HSO had built equity in a fairly traditional calligraphic monogram paired with safe, serif typography. We paired their symbol with a new, more modern wordmark that projects movement and dynamic range. We then developed a lively, distinctive visual system that balances timeless elegance with bold color, intriguing gestures, and approaches to imagery that bring photography from artists’ managements firmly into the HSO brand.

HSO’s symbol—a stylized monogram built from classical calligraphic forms kept in careful choreography by the conductor’s baton—is now complemented by new typography: a condensed sans serif typeface swells in confidence as it ascends from the foundation of the Orchestra to the organization’s home, Hartford.

A signature visual system

Inspired by the new primary identifier, we developed a limitless library of calligraphic and calligraphy-inspired marks that can be used at dramatic scale in unexpected configurations, and in combination with our typography. HSO’s red (and very expected) color palette was replaced by blues, a gold secondary color, and gradients.

Brand architecture

The HSO has a range of sub-brands that together are the HSO. The new brand architecture replaces what was a disparate approach to visual expression with a system that closely connects the Orchestra’s different lines of endeavor to the parent brand. A set of labels both connects and differentiates: a common color holds the sub-brands together, while typographic choices give appropriate differentiation.

Like many orchestras, the HSO faced the challenge of maintaining our connection to longstanding classical music audiences while also engaging younger audiences with diverse tastes. The Sametz team worked with us to develop a distinctive brand that’s both true to us and resonates with our wide-ranging constituents. In the first few seasons of our collaboration, we’ve seen ticket sales steadily increase.”

Steve Collins

President & CEO

Brand positioning + messaging

HSO’s brand positioning tenets focus on their distinctive competitive strengths: approachability for audiences of diverse backgrounds and tastes; performances that are exciting and unexpected; and artistic excellence close to home. A high-level message ties them together.

Positioning: where the HSO can win

Not your grandmother’s orchestra (but she’ll still like the show!)
Unexpected, immersive, and fun
Diverse, innovative programming with something for everyone
Energized performances under dynamic leadership

Welcoming atmosphere
Excellence close to home
A cornerstone of Hartford’s culture and community, inspiring civic pride

The Hartford Symphony Orchestra breathes fresh energy into extraordinary music through immersive, innovative performances and outstanding musicianship. From Beethoven at the Bushnell’s Belding Theater to movies with live soundtracks, from the songs of your favorite bands under the stars at the Talcott Mountain Music Festival to intimate chamber concerts, there’s something for everyone—and you always belong.

Through diverse, creative programming—and under the dynamic leadership of music director Carolyn Kuan—the HSO breaks down barriers to orchestral music and invites all to concerts that are welcoming, relevant, and fun.

A cornerstone of Greater Hartford, the HSO helps make the region a vibrant, exciting place to live, work, and play. We share our music with our communities through robust educational programs for all ages, in partnership with area schools, local arts providers, and social service organizations, and with free concerts for all.

Join us—and enjoy Hartford’s most enthralling, energizing, and entertaining cultural experiences.

Season materials

Digital and print materials bring together HSO’s brand elements to lively effect—capturing both the traditional and innovative aspects of HSO concerts.

Concert guides

HSO’s language is straightforward, engaging, without jargon, and talks to the experiences the Orchestra delivers.

Posters for community-building programming and events are under the “HSO Extended” sub-brand and express the flexibility of the brand, including “extended” possibilities for the Orchestra’s signature calligraphic gestures.

The Sametz team worked closely and effectively with our management team and board to build consensus as we defined our core brand attributes, positioning, messaging, and visual expression. They listened, presented, refined—and we moved forward together. Their counsel has helped ensure that our board can be powerful ambassadors for the HSO. Our new messaging and communications materials are valuable assets for our board members as we continue to focus on growing and diversifying our audiences and achieving financial sustainability.”

Bob Bausmith

Board Chairman

Digital assets

We worked with the HSO to seamlessly integrate the new brand into their existing website. Email newsletters, e-mastheads, and social media framing elements make even the most fleeting communications instantly recognizable.

Email newsletters and e-mastheads

Social media assets

Our new brand helps our current and prospective audiences and donors better understand who we are, what we have to offer, and why they should engage with us. It’s strong and recognizable, yet also flexible enough to be tuned for different seasons, initiatives, and audiences. It’s exactly what we need as a multifaceted organization with a deep commitment to engaging our diverse communities.”

Steve Collins

Hartford Symphony Orchestra