vision = value: linking mission to marketing
DESCRIPTION
Museums’ success depends in large part on the strength of their missions. But what if members and visitors at your institution don’t understand what you do— or don’t (yet) care? In this session, you’ll see how the Fuller Museum of Craft and the Harvard Museum of Natural History, two wildly different institutions with wildly different missions, successfully tackled the challenge of creating mission-based messages to drive attendance, membership, and giving. Leave with a checklist for how to put your mission into motion at your institution. Co-chairs: Tamsen McMahon, Director of Digital and Strategic Initiatives; Sametz Blackstone Associates, MA; Brandon Walsh, Manager, Strategy, Sametz Blackstone Associates, MA Presented at the New England Museum Association's 2009 Annual Conference.TRANSCRIPT
Sametz Blackstone Associates
Vision = Value:Linking mission to marketing
New England Museum AssociationAnnual Conference 2009Nashua, New Hampshire11 November 2009
Brandon C. Walsh, Sametz Blackstone Associates—Manager, Strategy—[email protected], @calmstock, 617.266.8577
Gretchen Keyworth, Fuller Craft Museum—Director Emeritus and Chief Curator
Tamsen S. McMahon, Sametz Blackstone Associates—Director of Digital and Strategic Initiatives—[email protected], @tamadear, 617.266.8577
Speakers
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Sound familiar?
Managing multiple lines of business
Balancing diverse income streams
Answering to more affinity groups than ever
…through more channels than ever
Doing more with less?
So now what?
So now what?
BRAND
But what does that mean?
BRAND≠
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(And never did.)
people
decreasing distance from organization
“home”
which often also translates to increasing “length of relationship,” “dollars,” and “commitment”
…and development. Meet people where they’re coming from. Provide resonant points…”ways in.” Connect “what” to “so what”
Brands link mission to marketing…
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Awareness SupportLoyalty Participation Comprehension
It’s a mosaic
So… how do we do it?
The steps
The steps
0 Research
1 Foundation
2 Constituents
3 Messaging
4 Visual identity
5 Action
6 Sustainability
Know who you are, and what that means.
0research
Qualitative
Quantitative
Research
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Inside Outside
Motivations
Actions
Staff Env.
Insight
1foundation
Be who you are, become what you want to be.
A brand foundation to build on
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Departure points
Vision + mission
Model
Areas of endeavor
Brand attribute(s)
Brand strategy / hierarchies
Position Personality / Image
Desired
Four branding strategies
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Corporate /institutional focus
Product Endorsed Source Master
Product / offering focus
Four branding strategies
Corporate /institutional focus
Product Endorsed Source Master
Product / offering focus
Four branding strategies
Corporate /institutional focus
Product Endorsed Source Master
Product / offering focus
Four branding strategies
Corporate /institutional focus
Product Endorsed Source Master
Product / offering focus
Four branding strategies
Corporate /institutional focus
Product Endorsed Source Master
Product / offering focus
Identity
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2constituents
Know who you serve, and why they care
Ticket buyers ≠ media ≠ donors ≠ partners ≠ volunteers ≠ board ≠ staff ≠ …
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Where they are
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Group 2
Group 4
Funders and supportersoften cut across all
Group 3
Group 1
For a museum…
What they care about
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Innovation
Education
Outreach
Exhibition
Capital projects
Resonance
3messaging
Use your messages, in their words
What your constituents care about, will participate in, and value
Tha
t w
hich
you
sta
nd f
or a
nd s
eek
to a
dva
nce
Messages that motivate
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What your constituents care about, will participate in, and value
Tha
t w
hich
you
sta
nd f
or a
nd s
eek
to a
dva
nce
Messages that motivate
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Where you can win! Start the conversation here.
Evolving a message system
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High-levelmessage
Customized for a specific constituency
Initiatives,programs,opportunities
Supportingstories
Fact sheets, giving oppts
Areas of focus
The Harvard Museum of Natural History encourages visitors to look closer and dig deeper into the history of our planet, and of all life on it.—Most extensive collection of real artifacts in
New England—Exhibits, experts, and exchanges that connect visitors
to the wonder and science of natural history—Helps visitors interpret the past, live more aware of
the present, and imagine the future
Main messages
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A means to informally improve their critical thinking about natural history, and current issues in evolution, ecology, biodiversity, culture, etc.
Unique travel programs that encourage people to develop a greater respect for and understanding of our natural world and our place in it
Through exhibits, programs, and lectures, the Museum connects adult learners with an interest natural history to others with similar interests
A unique public connection to science and scholarship at Harvard University
Main messages, for adult learners
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A classic museum exhibiting rare research artifacts that is evolving into a new model for the presentation and promotion of natural sciences through nontraditional means of experience and interpretation
Encourages the visitor to look closer, to form their own lines of inquiry, and to create their own narratives based on their observations and experiences—not the “push a button and watch what happens” kind of place
The place to see the “real, cool stuff”—exhibits unique in New England.
Main messages, for families
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Clarity
4visual identity
Look the part, be the part.
A mix of…
Design that delivers
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Name(s)
Logo(s) / logotype(s)
Taglines / modifiers
Service marks
That which you can own
Color
Typography
Imagery
Composition
Focused approaches
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Logo, anchor+Focus areas
+Imagery+Transparent overlay+Accent color+Supporting imagery
+Typography
=
SYSTEM
+Venue branding
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Look closer, Dig deeper
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Harvard Museum of Natural History
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Harvard Museum of Natural History
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Harvard Museum of Natural History
Rack card
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Membership brochure
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Annual appeal remittance card
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Travel program postcard
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And to leverage every communication to build brand and meaning
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Tactical communications– by program, function, audience, initiative
20-90% reinforces brand (depending on strategy)
PromisesExpectationsPositionAttributesPersonality
Yourorganization
(Compelling)Coherence
5action
Put it together,and put it to work.
Architecture for action
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Awareness Comprehension Participation Loyalty Support
Desired Outcome
Season kit
Membership
Development kit
Digitalwww
Postcard / mailers
Donor newsletter
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An architecture helps you to plan and deploy resources better
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Awareness Comprehension Participation Loyalty Support / advocacy
Wide
General
Long
High
High
Centralized
Custom / outsourced
Offset
Use
Content
Shelf life
Cost / production
Quantity
Content generation
Design
Production
Targeted
Specific
Shorter
Lower
Low / print on demand
Distributed / to template
In-house to template
Print on demand
Relevance
6sustainability
Own your brand, and keep it healthy.
It takes a village
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Transferring knowledge; encouraging ownership of the system
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Transferring knowledge; encouraging ownership of the system
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Engaging the organization: extranet
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Leverage
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This is a process, not an event.
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Roger Sametz
Effective communications deliver value over time
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Brand foundationWho you are, and who you can be.
ConstituentsThose for whom your work is––and could be––meaningful. They are vital to your success, and they are not monolithic!
MessagingExternally focused, the intersection of what audiences value, and that which you stand for and seek to advance.
Visual identityCompelling consistency; a mix of elements you can own and focused approaches to elements you can control.
ActionA communications architecture; your plan for hitting the streets!
ResearchQual. + QuantInside + Outside
SustainabilityDocumentation + training, engaging the organization.
Measure / retuneAdapt + evolve
Eg.
Case studyFuller Craft MuseumGretchen Keyworth
35 year old institution. “Facility” located on beautiful / pastoral “grounds.”
—Frederick Law Olmstead Brockton Arts Center > Fuller Museum of Art > Exploring vision / mission redirection. Historically local board with limited national reach. Membership declining. Visitation declining. Funding declining.
Departure points
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Researched and analyzed perceptions of the institution and perceptions of contemporary craft.
Developed strategic communications plan. Evolved verbal and visual identity. Produced targeted communications. Trained staff, volunteers, and board. Launch...ongoing. Measure, review, refine as needed.
Collaboration
Fuller Craft Museum, New England’s only museum of contemporary craft, is dedicated to the objects, ideas, and insight that inspire both patrons and artists to explore life through the art of contemporary craft. Craft is an art discipline that is both intriguing and accessible. Its roots reside in the creation of functional objects, but today, craft reflects the inspired ideas of artists who work primarily with their hands in materials that are tactile and familiar. Fuller Craft offers a collection, exhibitions, demonstrations, workshops, and special events where you can literally touch the materials and objects. Fuller Craft Museum is the most exciting place to be in the world of contemporary craft. Let the art touch you. Join us.
Brand foundation: vision / mission / position statement
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Let the art touch you
The story: a strategy-led tagline
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Let the art touch you
The story: a strategy-led tagline
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The Perfect Collection: A shared vision for contemporary craft
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Membership
Updated membership
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Building audience
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The edges of grace
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Membership up 44% in first six months of brand launch.— Since then growth has continued, seeing over 100%
increase in the last two years. Visitation has grow to 3,000 per month; an organizational
record.— Opening receptions now draw upwards of 350 visitors.
Aligned language:— Fuller Craft is the center of its own universe… not north or
south of anything… everything is north or south of it. Board makeup has shifted significantly beyond the greater
Brockton area. Now includes trustees across the country with ties to the craft world and renown artists.
Value delivered
Increased funding through major gifts & family foundations — Launched a major donor “charter” initiative at 20 gifts
exceeding $10K — Now has grown to over 40 donors with individual gifts as
high as $100,000 — Added second major gifts campaign, First Families, which
reenergized area donors and significant craft supporters. Nationally renowned collection and exhibitions
— welcomed this spring, “Craft in America” Expanding Traditions also a major PBS documentary series.
— media placement on AP, CNN, CBS, NECN, NY Times, Boston Globe, Providence Journal, American Craft, American Style, Chronicle of Philanthropy, etc.
Value delivered
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With its own niche, Fuller Craft may be able to move up from its status as a second-string, local art museum to an institution of regional, and perhaps even national, importance. The Fuller’s inaugural show sets the tone and signals the Museum’s ambitions.
Boston Globe
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This Museum won’t stay hidden for long.
New England Cable News
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…attendance surpassed anything the Museum had seen in recent years.
Arts and Business News
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Richly deserved accolades for the bold and aggressive work... It's always great to see an accredited / member museum getting the public attention they deserve. Keep up the great work.
Ed Able President and CEO
American Association of Museums
What now?
The concepts:
0 Insight
1 Identity
2 Resonance
3 Clarity
4 Coherence
5 Relevance
6 Leverage
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The steps:
0 Research
1 Foundation
2 Constituents
3 Messaging
4 Visual identity
5 Action
6 Sustainability
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The steps:
0 Research
1 Foundation
2 Constituents
3 Messaging
4 Visual identity
5 Action
6 Sustainability
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Rinse, repeat.
Build a framework, not a prison.
Evolution is everything
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Questions?
Brandon C. Walsh, Sametz Blackstone Associates—Manager, Strategy—[email protected], @calmstock, 617.266.8577
Gretchen Keyworth, Fuller Craft Museum—Director Emeritus and Chief Curator
Tamsen S. McMahon, Sametz Blackstone Associates—Director of Digital and Strategic Initiatives—[email protected], @tamadear, 617.266.8577
Speakers
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Thank you© Sametz Blackstone Associates