YOUR BACKSTAGE PASS
THE LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC HOPED TO INCREASE SEASONAL SUBSCRIPTIONS BY OFFERING MUSIC LOVERS A GLIMPSE INTO WHAT TRANSPIRED BEHIND THE SCENES WITH ITS ORCHESTRA.
Contributions
Content Strategy, Concept Development, Copywriting & Feature Writing, Client Presentation
Project Summary
This behind-the-scenes glimpse would be an additional way to thank subscribers and donors for their support, and help them feel like they were part of the Philharmonic family.
The Philharmonic's impulse was to create a standard newsletter filled with short blurbs about people and events. Drawing from my background in journalism, I offered to write in-depth feature stories instead—detailed profiles that went far beyond content members had seen before.
Special events would receive the same, in-depth treatment, as would any remarkable achievement by orchestra members or support staff. The client loved the idea, and the Crescendo newsletter was born.
Consistent with the philosophy of offering supporters more, the newsletter was produced in tabloid format to give the stories and photographs room to breathe.
For the premier issue, I wrote a story about the conductor and his relationship with orchestra members. After a series of interviews, I attended a rehearsal to observe how everyone supported one another and worked through challenges. I then attended that evening’s concert to see the result of their creative solutions.
I wrote another story about the associate conductor’s collaboration with Star Trek actor John DeLancie during a holiday event for children, and coupled that with a story featuring interviews with Beatles producer Sir George Martin, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, actor Mike Myers, Police drummer Stewart Copeland, and others performing in a 1970s-themed fundraiser at the Hollywood Bowl.
We created Crescendo #1 and #2 before providing the Philharmonic with templates and story ideas to create future issues on their own.
We developed a print campaign, as well—"In the Right Hands"— to highlight emotions people might feel while listening to a professional play with a high level of skill, and to complement the in-depth information provided in the newsletters.
In addition, bus advertising was developed that featured bars of music bookended by sentiments people might feel before and after listening to a performance—Anticipation / Standing Ovation, Listen / Emotion, and First Movement / Perfect Evening.
While the Philharmonic loved these print and bus concepts, they couldn't produce them due to lack of funds to buy media space.
Result
Increased ticket sales and a 6% rise in annual subscriptions.