OSO’s visual identity lacked the precision and consistency that reinforces credibility and fosters trust with audiences—current and especially prospective. Armed with a strong understanding of the emerging cultural landscape, we knew that the new OSO brand had to be unexpected and arresting, and it needed to bridge the gap between young and old classical music aficionados. We conceptualized a visual brand that represented OSO’s shift away from the rigid structure and aesthetics of traditional orchestras. The three-ring logo is an abstract representation of the brand’s name. The design is inspired by elements at the core of OSO’s identity:  

Sound: the vibrations that move from the orchestra to the audience.

Place: the non-traditional performance space thatOSO calls home.

People: the orchestra’s diverse community of musicians, students, audiences and supporters.

We also created two colour palettes for the brand. Blue, the primary hue, is a nod to one of the colours in the City of Ottawa flag. The secondary scheme is a multi-coloured gradient that features yellow, orange and blue. The gradient not only adds depth, but also symbolizes the drama of the performance space. We also opted for black and white photography to create a contrast between the flashier elements of the brand. We then developed a set of brand guidelines to ensure the brand is applied consistently and appreciated fully across all communications channels and media.