Co-creating connection: The brand transformation of the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain
Abstract
Brand strategy is too often reduced to visual identity or communications. Yet, when properly executed, it functions as an alignment mechanism for the whole organisation. This paper presents a case study of how the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain (NCO), working with MHM, reframed its brand from an ‘artistically led, peer-focused’ positioning to ‘vision-led, audience-focused’. Using the UK Design Council’s Double Diamond1 framework, together with MHM’s Organisational Positioning Map2 and Engagement Ladder of Brand Connection,3 the work engaged more than 400 stakeholders — including children, parents and carers, staff, trustees and donors — in a structured co-creation process. Techniques ranged from children drawing superheroes based on the brand to trustees debating NCO’s wider societal role. The resulting brand framework centred on the idea ‘together in music, limitless in life’ and is already associated with stronger staff alignment, clearer donor engagement and greater public resonance. This paper demonstrates that co-creation is not a peripheral exercise but a rigorous discipline that secures long-term commitment to brand strategy. For cultural organisations in particular, the lesson is that positioning around broader societal impact and ensuring stakeholders are directly involved in shaping that positioning enables the brand to become not only better understood but more deeply believed. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Debbie Spence is a Director at MHM, the global audience strategy consultancy. She advises museums, galleries, performing arts and cultural agencies across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and the Gulf on brand, audience growth and visitor experience. Debbie’s practice blends research rigour with design thinking to turn insight into action, using frameworks such as MHM’s culture segments, organisational positioning map and the Double Diamond to align boards, teams and partners around audience connection. Recent work includes brand strategy for the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, major segmentation and capacity-building at Ithra, Saudi Arabia, and audience strategy with Musica Viva Australia. She studied psychology at the University of York and is IDEOcertified in human-centred design. Before joining MHM, she led brand and visitor strategies across agencies and in-house teams, with a focus on reshaping experiences to deliver societal impact. Debbie is passionate about building confident, connected organisations that put people at the heart of decision making.
