Rekindling audience engagement and a city’s cultural center.
Despite its standing as a Portland institution with loyal patrons, the Oregon Symphony needed to increase awareness of its world-class offering with new audiences. After a canceled season due to the pandemic, along with decreased arts funding, and lower ticket sales, it was time for a shift. Grady Britton came aboard to help the Symphony engage new audiences, increase ticket sales, and elevate their brand.
To help the Oregon Symphony become recognized as a leading arts organization both regionally and nationally, GB needed to address a series of post-pandemic challenges. Audiences were returning, but slowly, and arts institutions everywhere were having their funding slashed. In the face of these obstacles, we spearheaded three initiatives: promoting the Symphony’s live concerts, positioning them as a thought leader for arts and culture, and celebrating their commitment to community engagement.
Concert Promotion
Our work began by identifying key concerts to promote based on innovative programming, seasonal themes, and renowned artists. We integrated captivating content and interviews with artists and Creative Alliance members, resulting in an increase in earned media impressions over the prior year and year-over-year growth in ticket sale revenue.
Thought Leadership
Next, we looked to position the Oregon Symphony as an advocate for arts and culture. Our messaging focused on raising awareness of the lack of funding that arts institutions were experiencing. The Symphony’s position was shared through a series of stories regarding the state of downtown Portland, coupled with the introduction of their new CEO. The initiative attracted widespread coverage and generated over 5 million impressions.
Community Engagement
The Symphony has long been a champion of community involvement. GB’s third initiative aimed to inform people about the role the Symphony plays bringing music directly to the public. From classrooms and correctional facilities to retirement homes, GB helped the Symphony reinforce their position as a leader creating a more vibrant community through music.
