Elitist, excluding, ineffective communicators – they’re just a few of the charges levelled at classical music. And in some ways it’s true: orchestral marketing can often be confusing and off-putting. But a handful of organisations are brilliantly creative at reaching audiences through imaginative, witty and alternative marketing campaigns. Here are four of the best.
1. Miniaturise your musicians
The Aurora Orchestra launched its 2014 season with a 3D mini-orchestra. Produced by Levavo and Cadventure, the project saw all principal players scanned, scaled and made into models on a 3D printer – thought to be the most complex reproduction of figures ever attempted with the technology.
2. Tell a story
Opera and classical music are full of powerful themes and narratives – fertile ground for a creative campaign. This one from The Church and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra used striking, eye-catching stories based around famous productions, including a spaghetti food fight, a sphynx cat with a diamante collar, and a levitating woman, for a series of videos and posters.
3. Take a different angle
The majority of orchestra photography is surprisingly drab for such an immersive, animated art-form. Norway’s Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra broke the mould by taking the musicians outside into the Nordic wilderness for some incredible, wintery shots.
4. Capture the moment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eWSqzeatKg
Firedog’s beautiful poster campaign for The Barbican’s 2014-15 classical season reflected the audience’s emotional responses to particular pieces of music. The aim was to show that everyone can relate to the genre, not just a small, knowledgable audience.
