Columbus Symphony Capital Campaign - Columbus Symphony

Origo started with interviews and surveys with key stakeholders, leaders, and staff, including several of the Symphony’s talented musicians. The main takeaway from our research was the state’s deep desire to share music with the world in the form of a new music hall. That passion drove the creation of the campaign Make Music for All. Developed in close collaboration with the Symphony team, the campaign name reflects Central Ohio’s passion for music into a rallying cry for the next chapter of performing arts in our region that will be built for people from all walks of life to celebrate.

In addition to fantastic performances, the campaign message also shows how the Symphony weaves music and arts into the community at all levels through its youth orchestra, as well as employs performers who teach and perform across the region. Furthermore, the campaign promotes the programs of the Symphony that bring music into classrooms and to lifelong learners. For these reasons, it was critical that the Make Music for All campaign demonstrated the Symphony’s artistic excellence as well as its many efforts around community involvement and advancement.

In concepting, the Origo team concentrated on the building’s iconic location, modern architecture, and, most of all, the music that would be made in it. We consulted classical, jazz, and other illustrated album covers for visual inspiration, reviewed early renderings of the building, and even attended a Symphony concert to get inspired. The result was a logo that reflects the new music hall’s clean lines, organic silhouette, and mission of community and music. The logo features a series of flowing, overlapping panels in multiple colors, evoking both the sound-enhancing panelwork of modern music halls and the layering dynamic of music being played together by a full orchestra.

As a final deliverable, Origo created a donor kit and activation collateral, including brochures, folders, business cards, event invitations, and other assets. The resulting collateral combined a mix of elegance and approachability with the clean lines of fine art with real-life photography of Symphony patrons, musicians, and community members. 

Now armed with a unique capital campaign that shows what is possible in the new music hall, we were able to provide an image of the potential of this new music Hall for donors, demonstrating it as a place where Ohioans can encounter world-class music, musical education, and a sense of community. Also, as the campaign will continue to grow over the next few years, we created a microsite that would allow all members of the community and general public to play a part in this transformative story for our region, where they could learn about the campaign goals, witness the vision for the new building, and give to our growing efforts.