Jacksonville Symphony - UpTempo
Naming & Logo Design
The Jacksonville Symphony partnered with Station Four to create a Young Professional’s group designed to attract and cultivate a younger audience for the historic Symphony. They had a vision for the group’s purpose, but needed help finding the right name and branding to communicate it to their target audience.
For over 60 years, the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra has operated with the mission, “To create experiences that enrich the human spirit and inspire a lifelong love of music.” In 2014, the Symphony began a new era with the hiring of a young, experienced and talented music director, Courtney Lewis. This young professionals group was created to bring like-minded young people together who would ultimately join with Courtney and become ambassadors for the Symphony’s new direction.
The Naming Process
We approach any naming project from the same angle we use for a logo or branding project, which includes a good amount of discovery upfront before we begin brainstorming.
Using all the data, we created three main guidelines for our brainstorming sessions.
- The excitement around Jacksonville’s art and music scene is at a high point. The name would have to work in such a way that the group would be immediately recognized as part of the movement.
- The name would need to encapsulate the influence the symphony has in the community.
- The name has to “feel right.” Not overly creative or too smart for its own good.
In just a few short sessions, we had narrowed down a list of names with explanations for how each aligned with our main points.
These were presented to the Symphony, who unanimously chose the name, UpTempo.
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Logo Design Process
The logo, just like the name, was informed by all the data we had collected during the discovery phase. One of the more important aspects of the group that was used to conceptualize the logo, came directly from the Symphony’s mission statement, which we referred to when presenting the final designs.
What we considered “UpTempo” are civically-minded young patrons of the Jacksonville Symphony who connect through cultural events that fit our interests and lifestyles. Through concerts, socials and partnerships that give deeper meaning and access to the music we love, we discover the orchestra on our own terms while having fun, making friends and supporting arts and culture in Jacksonville. We believe that music has the power to make our community more vibrant by bringing people together, and our experiences will set the tone for how audiences of the future experience and share music.
From the five presented, the selected logo was unanimously approved and adopted.
Alternative options
All projects have elements that quietly disappear without so much as a courtesy nod. Well, we enjoyed creating these alternative logos, so wanted to give them a small place in the world.
A representation of a sound bar, skyline and group of people, all with forward momentum.
A burst of energy referencing the conductor’s baton and a group of people coming together.
A modern and slightly abstracted take of the classic treble clef to juxtapose the old with the new.
Turning the musical staff into a flag for members to carry as the movement grows.