Sing Your Story: How a Strong Brand Can Amplify Your Chorus's Impact

Knowing the What, If, and When About Developing a New Brand

December 9, 2024
Brand Strategies

We have a logo; is that our brand?

How do we know if and when we need a new brand for our chorus?

What does that even look like?

Here at DRMTM (pronounced dream team!), where we reimagine brands for arts and culture organizations, we hear these questions on the regular. Which means many of you may be struggling to understand what a brand is and the strategy it can drive in the success of your chorus. We get it. The word brand has become very mainstream, almost overused, and often used incorrectly. 

There are three distinct strategies DRMTM shares to revolutionize the strength and role of your chorus’s brand:

  1. Build an informed brand on a process that begins with research and culminates in culture.
  2. Correct the mistake of leading your message with a list of programs and performances and lead with your mission instead.
  3. Utilize your brand as a strategic resource for building capacity across all operations.

We’re here to clarify a few brand basics and to introduce the concepts we teach on how a strong, bold brand holds the power to elevate every aspect of your chorus from song selection to office administration.

Let’s start here: your brand is most definitely, 100 percent, more than just your logo. While a crucial (and arguably the most important) element, your logo is just on the surface of a much deeper existence—it’s your nametag, if you will. But approaching either brand creation or rebranding is about process. While it’s creative, fun, and compelling, it should never be tackled around the breakroom table without a strategic process to guide it. This is especially true for nonprofit cultural organizations which are born out of mission and purpose; your chorus’s values and vision should serve as your unshakeable foundation. That foundation is the deeper existence beneath the nametag we were talking about, and it’s laid in research.

five steps to your best rebrand summary

Research: The Only Way to Start

Research begins with simple questions you can start asking on your own, revealing important perceptions about your organization. Here are a few to get going:

  • What is special about your chorus? 
  • How do your colleagues feel working or singing there? 
  • Why do your audiences or donors support you? 

Without knowing the answers to questions like these, you’re making decisions about your brand reputation on assumption and guesswork. And realize this: you are what they think you are. That means your audiences hold beliefs about you, true or false, that define your relationship or experiences with them. Only they can decide if your art or place in the community is relevant or valuable. You need to know what they’re thinking.

Brand research requires asking questions of all your stakeholders, inside and out. Internally, we’re talking everyone involved. Yes, everyone, from the executive director to your ushers. Externally, stakeholders are people who support you—like your audience members, partners, funders, and sponsors—but also community folks who may not be current supporters. Why? Because they have opinions or perceptions about you and they share them with others. 

You might be thinking, “We know who we are, why do research?” But by doing this work, you are likely to find that not everyone is on the same page, revealing internal or external gaps in alignment. Where there is misalignment, there is a problem to be solved. Research is the only way to compare if who YOU think you are is who THEY think you are.

If you’re driving merrily along the same path and wondering why things are still bumpy, you’re likely just spinning your wheels. What solves problems is getting out there and asking the important questions: What does your audience think of your programming? Are your volunteers happy? Does your community feel seen, heard, and welcome? When you begin with internal and external research, you know what’s working, what can be improved, and how to make cultural changes within your organization (spoiler, this is a HUGE part of your brand) that lead to higher success.

Now we’re going to take all of this great information and roll it into the creation of your new brand, beginning with messaging.

Messaging: Words Matter

Now that you hold the answers, you can pour a solid foundation of core values upon which to build your mission, vision, and culture. You own the capability to cultivate truer, more authentic connections to your communities and address them with purpose, clarity, and cause. How? Through your message.

Your message is powerfully influential. It holds the energy and emotion that differentiates you from others, attracting your true believers and spurring them to action. You possess the power to stir souls and open wallets. You harness the ability to articulate why your chorus matters and underscore its value in conversation with your community and funders. Yet another reason to root your message in meaning, not programs? Programs may come and go, but your mission and purpose largely remain the same.

Design: Looking Good

All that good research you did to inform your written brand? It will do the same for your visual brand: your logo, color palette, fonts, and visual design elements. If the research tells you audiences are looking for something more modern, you’ll be thinking unexpected colors, interesting fonts, and sleek visuals. If what you’ve learned is that your community appreciates your calm, professional vibe, you will probably be a bit more conservative in the design department. But knowing what clicks puts you way ahead of the game because you’ve taken the guesswork out of what resonates. Well-informed brand design promises an experience, elicits emotions, and gets people excited to be part of your mission.

Walking the Walk: Brand Culture

Once you’ve applied research to create strong brand messaging and design, it’s time to craft a culture that holds both the tangible (operational) and intangible (emotional) promise of your brand to guide you securely forward. Brand culture is an ongoing commitment to the strength and sustainability of your organization.

 

We define brand culture as the embodiment and actualization of your beliefs. It is your core values in practice. That’s why a formal branding process is critical in defining values that are totally genuine to your workplace and artistic expression so they can be lived in a way that elevates all tasks, roles, and experiences from transactional to personal (and even transformational). Brand culture is lived at the front of house and behind the scenes, in your HR hiring practices and in the respect and recognition of each contributing member. Think of brand culture as the practical application of your beliefs and a shared code of conduct. So be sure to include some joy as a central principle of your values.

Do You Need a Rebrand?
 

In today’s rapidly changing arts and culture landscape, your chorus faces the challenge of staying relevant while maintaining a unique and attractive identity. The exercise of branding or rebranding is a strategic move to align with evolving audiences, missions, and market demands. After reviewing the basics of a strong brand, here are some questions to ask yourself in order to determine if it’s the right time to rebrand.

  1. Are Audience Demographics Shifting?

    Time isn’t still, and neither are we. You might notice changes in purpose and vision according to organizational or audience growth or needs. When you feel a disconnect, or your original purpose doesn’t match the current vision, there’s a good chance a rebrand needs to follow.

  2. Is Your Mission Evolving?

    Time isn’t still, and neither are we. You might notice changes in purpose and vision according to organizational or audience growth or needs. When you feel a disconnect, or your original purpose doesn’t match the current vision, there’s a good chance a rebrand needs to follow.

  3. Does Your Visual Identity Feel Stale?

    You know your logo and visual communication is often the first interaction people have with your brand. If it’s been around for a while and no longer represents your current mission and programs, it could be time for an upgrade. An updated visual identity can convey the organization’s evolution while appealing to new and existing patrons.

  4. Is Competition Increasing?

    You know your chorus is incredible. But there are other incredible organizations vying for your same audiences and funding. This is when focusing on your differentiators—what makes you special and attracts your people—becomes paramount. A well-executed rebrand can set you apart, clarify why audiences should choose you, and re-engage your most loyal fans.

  5. Has Your Organization Experienced Any Internal Changes

    Leadership changes, restructuring, or strategic pivots can also signal the need for rebranding. When these changes occur, they often bring fresh vision and opportunities that require renewed brand alignment. And if two or more organizations merge, a rebrand can create a unified identity that honors all legacies while setting a new course for the future.

  6. Are You Experiencing Negative Public Perception

    Has your chorus experienced any negative publicity or public relations challenges? Are you struggling to make strides related to issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access? If this is the case, a rebrand might be necessary to rebuild trust and restore your reputation. Again, this isn’t simply changing your logo or name, but rather going through the deep work to make honest systemic changes. A thoughtful rebrand can signal a commitment to change and improvement, winning back your community’s confidence.

  7. Is Engagement Stagnant or Declining

    If ticket sales are declining, there is a reduction in membership renewals, or you’re seeing a decrease in online interactions, this can be a clear indicator that a rebrand is needed. Pay attention to these signs. If your brand is no longer resonating, a rebrand can reinvigorate interest, create buzz, and drive new engagement across all platforms.

Are You Ready for the Work?

At DRMTM, we love to say that branding isn’t a root canal; it’s fun! However, it is work—deep, meaningful, transformative work. We sometimes call it organizational therapy. So it’s important to know what to expect before you get started.

Remember all that research? You’ve gathered dozens or hundreds of opinions and insights to help you build a brand. But now it’s time to narrow down. Your decisionmakers should be made up of a smaller group, between three and five people, deemed the creative team. When you’re part of this team, you are committed to doing the work, being open to discussion, and giving your full attention and interest on scheduled meetings. These sessions are nothing short of transformative. We’ve yet to work with a group who by the end doesn’t say something along the lines of “Wow, we had no idea working on a new brand would bring our organization so much clarity and a renewed sense of purpose and excitement.” The transformation is real, we promise.

But it’s also important that you understand what is organizationally allowed according to your structure. Most arts and culture organizations are governed by a board, and their input is critical. Before you begin any branding project, be sure to get buy-in from these important decisionmakers. Educating them about the process will reassure and prepare them for what to expect. This important upfront work is critical to alleviate surprises or disappointment at the end of the process. 

What Can A Rebrand Do For You?

We know a strong brand is one of the greatest tools you’ll ever own for successful capacity building within your chorus. So yes, if your brand is not representing you well, a rebrand will develop a broader and more strategic approach to furthering mission impact. And, yes again, bold brands raise more than just money, they raise EVERYTHING—including your potential to leverage all stakeholders and resources in your success. How does capacity building show up across the brand process we’ve discussed? Let’s take a look.

  1. Capacity building through research: The goal is making informed decisions by learning as much as you can up front and executing on that knowledge.
  2. Capacity building through messaging: The goal is to engage and compel people to action by clearly articulating your value, creating clarity and trust, and positioning your chorus as a vital part of your community.
  3. Capacity building through design: The goal is to create and nurture connection, evoking feelings of shared identity and belonging with strong visual design that promises exceptional experiences and leaves lasting impressions.

Now that you’ve gained a better understanding of how a bold brand can really elevate your chorus, it’s time to dig deep. Are you ready to do the work? Are you prepared to uncover important but perhaps difficult truths? We promise it’s absolutely worth it at the end of the process; you’ll end up with successful, meaningful branding you are proud to share with your community and a renewed sense of purpose within your organization.

Cheryl Baldwin, head of brand design at DRMTM, has been a creative professional and graphic designer for more than 30 years. Her gift for style evolved with a mission-driven intent to design brands that move and engage people. Each design detail is packed with meaning and purpose to bring visual brands to life, reflecting the unique spirit, value, and experience of an organization’s identity