Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
A Call to All:
Hear Us Out
Background
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra—ASO—is for everyone. No matter who you are, you can find something to love and enjoy at the symphony. And yet, a lot of people don’t believe that’s true. In surveys, we found that many people mentioned feeling like they'd be out of place if attending and that it’s a bunch of old, rich, classical music enthusiasts dressed up in their fancy attire, even though that’s not the reality.
The ASO was looking for a new campaign that could bring in a younger, more diverse audience while giving their current audience renewed excitement about the upcoming season.
Services Provided
- Campaigns
- Content Creation
- Digital Design
- Research & Strategy
- Video & Animation
Approach
Our team spoke directly with Atlanta natives as well as patrons of the symphony to hear about their experience and perception of the symphony and why they do or do not attend. And the resounding response was the same: the symphony isn’t for me.
It was time to shed the notion that the symphony is only for elites. The ASO needed a wider-appealing look and feel that exemplified their expressiveness, something to tell audiences that they are welcome no matter who they are or where they’re from. They needed new messaging to speak to this as well, something that could be used as an open invitation to everyone who wants to be enriched by the symphony’s beautiful music.
Creative
In order to beckon patrons to attend, we created a main, tongue-in-cheek and welcoming message: Hear Us Out. Bright, boistrous, and bold typography is the main way the Hear Us Out campaign is expressed. Through type, we’re able to mimic the crescendo and decrescendo of the music, increase the volume of our message, and reverberate throughout our city. The reverb effect adds another layer of communication to help convey the essence of the symphony experience. From the bow against the strings of a violin, the rumble of a french horn or the vibrato of the choir, the reverb effect visually embodies the musical qualities of the orchestra itself.
From the 2024-25 brochure mailer to the digital kiosks in the city to magazine print ads to social animations, Headword collaborated with the symphony to spread the message to our audience and meet them where they are. We animated the ads to help promote the new concert series—not just specific events—but to promote the excitement of attending a symphony concert and make it something locals can be proud of.
Results
The Hear Us Out campaign reverberated throughout Atlanta with resounding praise! The ASO has seen so much improvement in their brand and created something that locals can be proud of while making an impact in the industry. Our beckoning call to Hear Us Out has resonated with the city and we are so happy with the results of the campaign.