The most perfect instrument of all
Rundfunkchor Berlin
By 2012, the Rundfunkchor Berlin was renowned not only for its wide repertoire, but also for a hugely successful series of innovative event-formats. An increasingly fragmented visual appearance sought to address diverse audiences, but at the cost of coherence.
We encouraged the client to simplify and unify their approach. In a series of workshops, we facilitated an exploratory process which allowed us to develop an integrated visual identity, fully aligned with the choir’s commitment to excellence, their innovative mission and international reputation.
Reducing the number of visual elements gave us room to make a bold statement. Intimate photographic portraits of choir members, captured in moments of reflection, were combined with a colour palette unique to the genre. In this way we effortlessly expressed the emotional side of choral music without resorting to cliché. The result is an unmistakable identity both in a local and international context.
From the new logotype, to the art direction of the campaign photography and the typographic guidelines, we sought to capture the otherworldly aspects of choral music, experienced communally and individually. We also developed a completely new website with a simplified information architecture, designed to fit the brand style on all devices.
In a nutshell:
Music for the eyes, not just the ears. Between 2012 and 2017, State realised a comprehensive rebranding of the Rundfunkchor Berlin. Our fresh approach to the visual representation of choral music helped attract younger audiences, clearly positioned the choir in Berlin’s crowded cultural landscape, and raised the international profile of an already illustrious institution.
What we did:
Visual identity, campaign concept and design, print design, digital strategy, UI/UX design, production
Collaborators:
Lu Nelson (front-end code), Clear Canvas(back-end code, WordPress development, SEO), Studio Yukiko (still-life photography), Jonas Holthaus, Andreas Gehrke (portrait photography)
Client:
Rundfunkchor Berlin
Website: