Philadelphia Orchestra Rebrand

Written By Ana Thomas

Role: Creative Strategist / Project Lead / Creative Director

Client / Employer: Philadelphia Orchestra

Tools: Basecamp / Adobe Illustrator / SharePoint / Orange Logic

Project Overview and Objective

Lead the brand transformation of the Philadelphia Orchestra in honor of its 125th anniversary—a milestone demanding both reverence for legacy and a bold, forward-facing identity. Collaborated with an external branding agency and executive leadership to define the visual and narrative direction, positioning the institution as globally recognized yet deeply rooted in Philadelphia. Oversaw not only the brand development but also the internal rollout and education, ensuring long-term adoption across teams and platforms.

Strategic Approach

  • Directed the creative vision and implementation of the “newstalgia” concept—blending heritage with a contemporary edge

  • Facilitated weekly strategy checkpoints with external partners to align design milestones with C-suite approval pipelines

  • Developed scalable internal systems to support consistent usage across departments and external vendors

Outcomes

  • Comprehensive Brand Guidelines System covering visual identity, voice and tone, typography, logo use, and usage standards

  • Centralized Asset Library and onboarding hub for staff adoption (via SharePoint and Orange Logic)

  • Brand FAQ resource to support cross-team alignment and long-term brand stewardship

  • Supported the production of 400+ branded assets within the first 6 months post-rollout

Ana Thomas
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