How to rebrand an icon without losing its original fan base while also connecting to new audiences?

From The Clash and Leonard Cohen to Stromae and Destiny's Child, all the big musicians have performed at least once on the Ancienne Belgique stage. Ever since 1976 Brussels' icon shakes up the European music stage, yet their own brand remained in the shadows.

Project objectives

• Create a brand identity system that shows the relevance of Ancienne Belgique today and guide us through all the phases of rebranding.
• Make the existing and potential AB- community part of the trajectory and use their input, and collect insights to gain new audiences.
• Ancienne Belgique takes sustainability and inclusivity very seriously, so do you. 

Brand strategy & identity - Brand storytelling - UX/UI Design - Service Design - Wayfinding - Creative Direction

Keep your ear to the ground

Ancienne Belgique knows what’s going on in the industry and society. Keeping their ear to the ground comes through in everything that they do. Whether that’s supporting young talent, banning out all plastic bottles in the venue or serving water during Ramadan.  

To verify the ideas and concepts, we conducted qualitative interviews in focus groups. The focus groups consisted of Wallonian and Flemish persons of different ages and backgrounds. Frequent visitors, but also persons who never visited Ancienne Belgique in their lives. This helped us to find the nuance and open the doors to new target groups that never felt connected to the concert venue. The result is a brand story that comes to life on every touchpoint and communicates on different levels. 

A visual soundscape

What makes Ancienne Belgique unique is their top-notch technique. Musicians love playing at the AB because of the intimate connection to its audience. At times, the concert experiences are epic and monumental, other times they are delicate and sweet. We were looking for a way to bring these experiences alive, way before you enter the physical building.

We found the result in a motion-driven brand system that adapts itself to the artist, target audience, and storyline. The AB-logo sets the identity in motion, at times sharp and edgy, in other times softened and easy-going.

With the dynamics of four different typefaces and endless motion possibilities, Ancienne Belgique can add a touch of personality to all the digital assets. 

Making a mark

Ancienne Belgique practices what they preach. They challenged us to think about new ways to implement their story, without focusing on traditional marketing assets like posters or flyers. We’re currently working on interactive signage to bring the concert experience alive in the streets of Brussels. Even when you’re just passing by. 

The marketing team is restructured and now has all the tools in their hands to create and convince all of Brussels to pay a visit to Europe’s most intimate concert hall. See you in the next live!