Client
Sound and Music is the national charity for new music and composers, promoting and fostering the understanding and appreciation of sonic art and music. They support the development of composers to enable more people to enjoy their work by sharing, creating and distributing events, information and archives.
Brief
Since its inception in 2008, Sound and Music had built a reputation as a trusted voice, leader and supporter of new music and composers working in the UK. But their brand had limited assets, and no rationale or guidance on their usage, which had created challenges in external delivery and internal understanding, ownership and advocacy. To coincide with its 10th anniversary, Sound and Music wanted to review and rethink their brand identity, to better reflect them as a flagship national charity. Sound and Music asked Rose to help them evolve and revitalise their brand to raise the organisation’s profile, introducing the artists and composers they represent, along with the music and sound created, to connect with audiences beyond those directly involved in new music.
Solution
Rose understood Sound and Music wanted to change the way people think about the creative world they represent, and their desire to increase awareness of new music and sound. But in order to embrace new audiences, Rose felt the identity needed to build on the organisation‘s knowledge and archive, to help them become more accessible. So Rose recommended a simple and clear brand identity, using a core palette of black and white to reflect the composer's world of musical notations. The tone of voice uses onomatopoeic language as both a visual and verbal representation of sound. In addition to this linguistic brand asset, Rose also reflected the work of the artists Sound and Music represent and support, by creating circular visual artworks from the unique sound waves created by individual musical scores. The resulting artworks are as distinctive as each piece of new music itself.
Result
In addition to a significant uplift in national recognition and profile of the brand and its purpose, the charity also saw a 39% increase in their total gross income, in the year following the relaunch of the brand.¹
¹ Charity Commission for England and Wales