December 31, 2006, Chicago, IL –– For almost 120 years the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has been a prestigious and iconic feature of the city.  Despite its reputation, however, the CSO has found it difficult to attract patrons under the age of 60.  In hopes of attracting a younger demographic without alienating its core audience, the CSO called in Chicago-based advertising agency The Monogram Group for outside help.  Focusing on the lasting, powerful impact of live musical performances, the revised brand imparted the message “The experience stays with you.”  The subsequent whimsical print campaign depicted characters with “instrument heads” in recognizable locations around Chicago.

            According to Kevin Giglinto, CSO’s Vice President for Sales and Marketing, “Everything about Monogram’s process challenged conventional thought for us as an institution, and made us think about things that we hadn’t normally considered in the past.  The most impactful was how they looked at our patrons, who they were, and what the experience was to them.  So it wasn’t just about advertising our programs, it was about the powerful impact that the experience meant to them as individuals.”

            Harold Woodridge, Creative Director at Monogram, said, “The ads ran in Chicago newspapers and magazines, on buses and bus shelters, as street banners on major downtown Chicago streets, and as large posters at the front entrance to Symphony Hall. We were very pleased at the impact the work had on their attendance and the overall perception of the institution.”

            Celebrating its 19th year in business, The Monogram Group is an advertising agency that specializes in boldly repositioning brands. The agency has offices in Chicago and Charlotte, and its clients include Chicago Council on Global Affairs, GE Antares Capital, Outlook Window Fashions and Wildman Harrold.