Vision = Value: Linking Mission to Marketing

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

© Sametz Blackstone Associates 2

Brandon Walsh

I think the rule would actually be nice to have... and maybe a better margin on the left..

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≠

LOGO© Sametz Blackstone Associates 12

(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…

© Sametz Blackstone Associates

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


Inside Outside

Motivations

Actions

Staff Env.

Insight

1foundation

Be who you are, become what you want to be.

A brand foundation to build on


Departure points

Vision + mission

Model

Areas of endeavor

Brand attribute(s)

Brand strategy / hierarchies

Position Personality / Image

Desired

Four branding strategies


Corporate /institutional focus

Product Endorsed Source Master

Product / offering focus

















Identity

28

2constituents

Know who you serve, and why they care

Ticket buyers ≠ media ≠ donors ≠ partners ≠ volunteers ≠ board ≠ staff ≠ …


Where they are


Group 2

Group 4

Funders and supportersoften cut across all

Group 3

Group 1

For a museum…

What they care about


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


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


Where you can win! Start the conversation here.

Evolving a message system


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


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


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


Clarity

4visual identity

Look the part, be the part.

A mix of…

Design that delivers


Name(s)

Logo(s) / logotype(s)

Taglines / modifiers

Service marks

That which you can own

Color

Typography

Imagery

Composition

Focused approaches


Logo, anchor+Focus areas

+Imagery+Transparent overlay+Accent color+Supporting imagery

+Typography

=

SYSTEM

+Venue branding


Look closer, Dig deeper

© 2006 Sametz Blackstone Associates

Harvard Museum of Natural History






Rack card


Membership brochure


Annual appeal remittance card


Travel program postcard


And to leverage every communication to build brand and meaning


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

61

Awareness Comprehension Participation Loyalty Support

Desired Outcome

Season kit

Membership

Development kit

Print

Digitalwww

Postcard / mailers

Donor newsletter


An architecture helps you to plan and deploy resources better


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

65

Transferring knowledge; encouraging ownership of the system


Transferring knowledge; encouraging ownership of the system


Engaging the organization: extranet


Leverage

69© Sametz Blackstone Associates

This is a process, not an event.


Roger Sametz

Effective communications deliver value over time


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




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


Let the art touch you

The story: a strategy-led tagline


Let the art touch you

The story: a strategy-led tagline


The Perfect Collection: A shared vision for contemporary craft



Membership

Updated membership


Building audience









The edges of grace
















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



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


This Museum won’t stay hidden for long.

New England Cable News


…attendance surpassed anything the Museum had seen in recent years.

Arts and Business News


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


The steps:

0 Research

1 Foundation

2 Constituents

3 Messaging

4 Visual identity

5 Action

6 Sustainability


The steps:

0 Research

1 Foundation

2 Constituents

3 Messaging

4 Visual identity

5 Action

6 Sustainability


Rinse, repeat.

Build a framework, not a prison.

Evolution is everything

131

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


Brandon Walsh

I think the rule would actually be nice to have... and maybe a better margin on the left..

Thank you© Sametz Blackstone Associates