Wonder as a service
Challenge
The audience of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra consists of a loyal group of traditional concertgoers. A younger, more diverse crowd usually doesn’t attend their concerts, but when they do, they are positively surprised by the experience – this orchestra makes waves! How can you attract new audiences in the Netherlands to attend the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s concerts, without alienating the most loyal classical music lovers?
Result
The new digital experience captivates a new audience, while serving the traditional one with intuitive flows full of depth. Wonder, as a service! The new platform is at the heart of the brand and digital strategy, impressing users with visuals, design and sound. The orchestra is now found by all visitors: loyal classical music fans and the curious (often younger) generation. Online, of course, but more importantly: at the live concerts!
What we did
Future scoping, brand strategy, digital Strategy, UX design, visual design, development, content strategy, service design
Impact
Awards
- Gouden Lovie Award - Cultural institutions
Concerts for newbies
Research shows that not knowing what to expect is a barrier for new audiences to attend a classical concert. The platform prepares them and gets them excited with previews, playlists, information about the artists and… how many drink breaks there will be ;-).
Sound bites
Listen to short music clips as you browse through the concerts and get a taste of what to expect. The interactive story cards invite users to explore more actively and immerse themselves in the music, artists and creative vision of the orchestra.
Breaking with conventions
The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, like its city of origin, isn’t afraid to experiment and take risks to reach people with their music. The visual language is quite unconventional for the traditional world of orchestras and aims to provoke a maximum experience of wonder with the forms and images used.
Filter by mood
The search function allows you to search with precision, but you can also choose to be surprised by a concert that suits your mood. For example, search for cheerful, energetic music or go for a bucketlist concert. The ‘filter by mood’ option helps new audiences browse the concert calendar with ease.
Oh, can you Händel it!?
The platform works seamlessly with online and offline campaigns, drawing new audiences to the platform, allowing them to experience the brand and ultimately generate more ticket sales.
Wonder with AI
Imagine this: you have a ticket for a concert and want to know more about what you’ll be hearing. With the AI tool Wondercast, you can receive a podcast made just for you within minutes. After completing a short questionnaire, the tool creates a customized script, selects music snippets via Spotify and produces a podcast with a personal host. From the background of the piece and composer to the role of specific instruments – everything is tailored to what you want to know. Wondercast is currently in its pilot phase and is being developed in collaboration with other cultural institutions with support from CultuurLoket DigitALL.
Want to know more? Read the article about Wondercast here.
We now have the opportunity to entice new audiences to attend concerts. And we see that reflected in the concert hall. Last year, 49% of our ticket buyers were 45 or younger!
Ready to change things?
