Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

From historic orchestra to symphony for modern ears

Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra

Contributions

Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Brand Marketing

Awards

Cannes Lions Shortlist 2016
TDC Winner 2016
Rebrand 100 Global Award Best of Award 2016
Vuoden Huiput 2 x Silver Award 2016
Nomination ADCE Awards 2016

Industry

Hospitality

The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra wanted to do more than keep existing audiences interested in their weekly concerts—they saw a big opportunity to attract new ones too. So we created a bold new identity for Helsinki’s most precious cultural asset that was built on the power and energy of 102 of their most important assets—the musicians themselves.

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The Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s leading symphony orchestras and a major cultural asset for Helsinki. For 140 years, they’ve held weekly concerts, giving people a chance to regularly hear masterpieces performed by some of the finest musicians on the planet.

Like all brands, the Helsinki Philharmonic is competing for a share of the most precious thing in the world—our spare time. These days, they’re up against a world of other leisure activities—even our phones. After all, weekly concerts need a regular audience.

They wanted to do more than keep existing audiences interested. They saw a big opportunity to attract a younger audience, but to do so, they needed an engaging and attention-grabbing new identity.

The power of 102 living, breathing musicians. The logo we created was built around the orchestra name, surrounded with the names of every orchestra musician—all 102 of them, to be exact—to form a living ensemble.

Marketing was heavily based on photography and the orchestra itself, with multi-exposure photos by Marko Rantanen bringing the musicians alive with motion.

The key marketing message? Big sound. That unique experience when a concert is way more than just a concert.

A harmonious identity — We created a symphony of multichannel creative touchpoints alongside digital engagement.

Every performance is distilled into bite-sized moments, offering people a chance to explore the world of music in new and inspiring ways. They represent a musical culture that’s accessible, with fair pricing models and diverse programs that catch the attention of every age and background.