the art of pro bono
DESCRIPTION
October 20, 2010 at the Virginia State Capitol The Art of Pro Bono, presented by Bob Tarren, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Summary: Stretching a dollar is just as important as ever, especially for non-profits. Learn how the VMFA used private partners to make every dollar feel like three.TRANSCRIPT
Bob TarrenDirector of Marketing It’s Your Art
Limited Communications Budgets, Unlimited Possibilities
“The art of pro-bono”
Today’s reality was yesterday’s reality for state agencies, non-profits, and small
companies
Pro-Bono – When you can’t do it alone
• Ad agency (substitute free- lancer, etc.) ego
• Opportunity to do good
• Often free-rein creative
• Need to differentiate
Why should anyone do work for free (or near-free)?
• What is your objective?
– Specifically, what problem are you solving?
• Is there history with external resources?
• Can internal resources be challenged ?
Before you get started…
• Organize your assets and be clear with your mandatories
• Make sure you are driving to a measureable outcome
• Make sure you have support from leadership, because you may need to defend the work
Before you get started…
• Know how to talk their language
– Small project, simple direction, land mines pre-identified
• Ask for recommendations
• Clear communication of situation
• Be willing to stretch
How do you make it work?
• A recent example of ‘setting the table’ for a pro-bono creative resource– VMFA to SGS
• Know how to talk their language
– Small project, simple direction, land mines pre-identified
• Ask for recommendations
• Clear communication of situation
• Be willing to stretch
How do you make it work?
• Perceptions
• Institutional Ambitions
• Strategic Architecture
Current Situation
• Marketplace research already in place
– Alan Newman
– LaPlaca Cohen
• Summary…
– Stodgy, formal, unfriendly, exclusive, class-centric
– Quality collections and staff, well-loved and respected by those who were frequent visitors
Perceptions
• The Grand Opening – Reopen or reinvent the brand?
– Communicate a new brand promise, and establish the foundation of a new brand position
• A museum for all Virginians
– Free general admission all the time, eliminate barriers to visitation
– Diverse audiences
Institutional Ambitions
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES• Reset perceptions and
expectations of VMFA
• Activate ‘persuadables’ and reinforce ‘evangelists’
• Create evocative messages that leverage the VMFA experience– World class art– WOW venue (Wi-Fi, Café,
etc)– A “Third Place”
UNDERSTANDING THE AUDIENCE
B
‘Persuadables’Create new visitors
A C
Evangelists Unengaged
• People who consume art/culture offering once a
month*
• People who consumer art/cultural offering once a
year *
• Younger audience, College to 35
Horizontal axis
Vertical axis
VRE Card Car Billboard
OUT OF HOME
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Web Banners
Thank you!