New England Conservatory (NEC) is one of the oldest conservatories in the country, well-known in the music world for its deep ties to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. NEC hired Minelli to develop and implement a new visual identity that would dramatically increase brand awareness and position the school as an innovative leader throughout Boston’s cultural landscape.
NEC’s focus on excellence, daily music making and performance, and its unique collaborative culture are central to the brand idea we produced for them: The future of music, made here. In the visual identity we developed, NEC breaks with the music industry’s pervasive use of concert photography. Instead, black-and-white portraits show students with their instruments. A bold pattern of colored bands, inspired by auditory patterns in music, are a dominant graphic element used throughout the identity.
“The Minelli team carefully listened, synthesized and articulated, both visually and verbally, NEC’s unique spirit and energy. We are thrilled and inspired by the results.”
KATHLEEN KELLY, VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
