Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano rebrands identity to attract international audience

The renowned Italian orchestra partnered with global brand consultancy Landor to refresh its identity. Aiming to become more accessible to a wider, international audience, there has been a 56% increase in subscription sales since the rebrand launched.

The rebrand takes inspiration from Milan to showcase the orchestra’s connection to the city, reflecting its music and culture. Landor utilised these design elements to convey emotion, while also tapping into the contemporary.

The new design system was heavily inspired by Futurism, an avant-garde Italian art movement hailing from Milan in the early 20th century. The aesthetic was used create a reactive interaction with music. For instance, the M glyph suggests a sound wave that represents Milan’s iconic Cathedral, Duomo of Milan.

Through coordinated images and a new custom typography, named TUMB TUMB, the logo was designed to move like a sound wave.

Teemu Suviala, global chief creative officer at Landor, comments, “Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano has a deep, emotional connection to Milan, so it was hugely important for us to incorporate the city into the rebrand. We took inspiration from the design, architecture, artworks and art movements cultivated in the city to create an identity that reflects it.

"The avant-garde Milanese artform Futurism was particularly influential alongside the phenomenon of synaesthesia, with sounds enabling multi-sensorial experiences, and the potential for reactive interaction with music.”