Smithsonian Institution Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Strategic Communications Plan Stephanie Quick

Georgetown University Capstone

Summer 2015

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3

BACKGROUND 4

SITUATION ANALYSIS 8

CORE OPPORTUNITY 8

GOAL 8

OBJECTIVES 8

KEY PUBLICS 9

BRAND POSITIONING AND FRAMING 10

MESSAGES 11

STRATEGIES AND TACTICS 13

CALENDAR 18

BUDGET 19

EVALUATION 22

APPENDICES

A. SWOT Analysis 23 B. Survey Results 24 C. Social Media Campaign Ideas 26 D. Sample Letter to a DC Blogger 27

E. Homeschool Resources 28 F. Sample Letter to a Homeschool Group 29

G. Video Ideas 30 H. Sample Promotional Card 31

REFERENCES 32

 

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is in a time of transition with a new director and new vision. The

new museum director, Melissa Chiu, wants to position the museum as an international force in the contemporary

art world. At the same time, the museum has not taken advantage of the overwhelming name recognition of the

Smithsonian and, as an original survey revealed, many do not know that it is part of the Smithsonian or even what

the museum displays. The Hirshhorn has far fewer visitors per year than other comparative contemporary art

museums or other Smithsonian museums.

In order to overcome these issues, the Hirshhorn will need

to align itself with the Smithsonian and raise brand

awareness of the museum. In so doing, the Hirshhorn will

raise the perception of the Hirshhorn as an internationally

known contemporary art museum along the lines of the

Guggenheim. This plan will focus on three key publics: DC

millennial women, female DC baby boomers, and the

homeschool community of the United States. The third

public, homeschoolers, will help the Hirshhorn to make an

impact on the next generation of art lovers, thereby ensuring

a continued appreciation for the arts.

A large part of making an impact in today’s digital age

involves making an impact online. The communications

team will expand on its current social media and digital

presence with videos, ads, and higher quality social media

content as outlined in this plan. The $258,000

communications budget includes money for a website redesign and the beginning of the development of a mobile

app that will play a key role in the digital exhibits planned for the museum. The website redesign and the mobile

app development are part of a five year strategic digital plan to reposition and align the museum, thereby raising

the reputation of the museum.

Events such as Hirshhorn After Hours will play another key role in the repositioning of the Hirshhorn Museum.

Other events such as free coffee on Saturday mornings or tours for children during the week will both give reason

to market the Hirshhorn and will also spread the word about the Hirshhorn on a grassroots level. Many people

would be reluctant to go to a museum by themselves, but would be willing to go as a part of an activity with

friends. Through these events, word of mouth, an integrated marketing campaign and social media, this plan will

elevate the reputation of the museum as a force in the national and international contemporary art community.

 

 

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BACKGROUND CLIENT On October 1, 1974, the Smithsonian opened the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in honor of Joseph

Hirshhorn who donated his personal collection to the Smithsonian (Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden Fact

Sheet, 2014). Today the museum displays over 12,000 pieces of art covering the late 19th century through

modern day, including pieces such as Shirin Neshat, Yoko Ono, and Andy Warhol (Hirshhorn Museum &

Sculpture Garden Fact Sheet, 2014).

While the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden display many critically respected works, the museum is less

frequently visited than other Smithsonian museums and other contemporary art galleries. In 2013, the museum

had 645,000 visitors as compared to the National Gallery of Art (4,392,252), the Museum of Modern Art in New

York City (1,107, 054), and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (6,970,000) (2013-2014 Travel

& Tourism Market Research Handbook. 2013). These figures suggest that the Hirshhorn Museum is not taking

advantage of the millions of visitors who come to the National Mall every year.

At the same time, the museum is emerging from a time of transition. Melissa

Chiu succeeded Richard Koshalek as museum director on September 29,

2014. Koshalek’s directorship was marked by a failed attempt to add “The

Bubble” a seasonal outdoor lecture hall and exhibit space encompassed by a

structure that resembled a bubble. Melissa Chiu hopes to move beyond the

legacy of “the Bubble” and to create a modern, 21st century museum that

operates at the intersection of art and technology - a museum that impacts both

its virtual and physical visitors and takes advantage of the digital trends of 2015

and beyond (Chiu, 2014).

Despite all of the changes, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden are fiscally solvent as of October 2014

(Hirshhorn Museum Board Meeting, 2015). Hirshhorn Museum operate on an annual budget of $8 million, which

is made of both federal and trust money (Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Fact Sheet, 2014).

Smithsonian museums do not charge entrance fees, giving a competitive advantage over many other museums.

In contrast with the overall industry trend of decreasing revenue, the Smithsonian’s revenue has increased over

the past five years (IBISWorld, n.d.). While finances will need to be kept in mind, finances and fundraising are not

as critical as they are for many others in the museum industry.

INDUSTRY

The museum industry is at an interesting juncture in its history. Over the next five years, museums are expected

to digitize their collections to get on board with an increasingly more digital society as will be discussed

 Melissa Chiu on her first day at

Hirshhorn.

 

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throughout this plan. These digital collections will likely not fully replace in person visits, but may still have an

impact (Hirshhorn Board Meeting, 2015).

At the same time that museums are in need of capital to adapt to a digital world, the government is cutting back

on their financial support of museums other than the Smithsonian (IBIS World, 2015). In order to make up the

difference between increased operating costs and declining government support, many museums are raising

entrance fees and the prices of other earned income sources such as souvenirs, events and food (Skinner,

Ecklund, & Jackson, 2009). However, as stated before, the United States government has increased funding to

the Smithsonian Institution over the past five years (IBIS World, 2015).

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

The museum industry is in many ways a reflection of the external environment. In the United States, the economy

is rebounding after a depression. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, per capita disposable income is

expected to grow 2.4 percent year over year between 2015 and 2020 (IBISWorld Business Environment Profiles,

2015). The number of households with income over $100,000 per year is expected to grow from 23.1 percent of

all households to 24.0 percent of households by 2020 (IBISWorld Business Environment Profiles, 2015). This

represents an increase of over 3.1 million households. With the rise in disposable income and the related

decrease in unemployment, more people are likely to donate to and visit museums.

Additionally, the world is becoming more and more connected online. Experian surveys revealed that 93 percent

of millennials are active online and on social media every day (2011). Millennials, who make up 24 percent of the

population, essentially grew up with the Internet and cannot imagine life without it. They spend an average of 20-

21 hours per month on social networks (Neilson.com, 2015.)

Even baby boomers are using social media at increasing rates.

Boomers are the fastest growing segment on social media

networks, although their overall numbers still lag behind millennials and Gen-Xers. If Facebook were a country, it

would be the largest country in the world (Stenovec, 2015). Put another way, more people are on Facebook than

live in China. Communications strategies dictate companies go where the people are. In 2015, people are online

making digital and social media a necessary component of any communications plan.

MARKET SHARE

The museums industry has a low level of market share concentration

with the four top players occupying 37 percent of the market share

(Museums in the US Industry Report, May 2015). The Smithsonian

Institution is one of those top four players with 15.1 percent of the

market share, however the Hirshhorn Museum only occupies 1.3

percent of the overall market share (Museums in the US Industry

Report, May 2015).

More people are on Facebook than live in China.

The Hirshhorn Museum only occupies 1.3% of the overall market share of the museum

industry. -Museums in the US Industry Report, 2015

 

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COMPETITION

Occupying the rest of the market are the Hirshhorn’s direct competitors, which include other better-known

contemporary art museums such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Whitney Museum also in

New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Tate Modern in London and the

Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

One key competitor, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, NY has over 1.2 million visitors each

year in spite of ticket prices of $25 for adults and $18 for students and seniors (www.Guggenheim.com, 2015).

The Guggenheim has adapted to the digital age with an active and engaging presence on social media and an

app available for both Android and iPhone that allows the user to view over 1500 pieces, to access building

guides of the museum in five languages, and to listen to audio for selected collections and displays

(www.Guggenheim.com, 2015). Like the Hirshhorn, the Guggenheim name does not specify what type of art it

displays, yet the Guggenheim experiences better name recognition according to a sample of 75 adults from

around the country (Quick, 2015).

While the other Smithsonian Institute museums may not display the same subject matter, they do serve as

competition for the time and attention of visitors to the National Mall. The National Museum of Natural History,

National Air and Space Museum, and National Museum of American History are better known and are easier to

sell to families with young children by virtue of what they display. This is just one of the issues Hirshhorn faces.

ISSUES

The larger issue that the Hirshhorn Museum faces is moving into this next chapter of its history with potentially

conflicting purposes. Chiu wants to position the museum as an internationally renowned contemporary art

museum on the level of the Tate Museum in London or the Guggenheim Museum in New York (Hirshhorn

Museum Board Meeting, 2015). She would like to tap into the international elite contemporary art community. Yet

the museum is a part of the Smithsonian Institution whose mission is “the increase and diffusion of knowledge”

implying that art and history are for everyone (www.smithsonian.com, 2015). Additionally, in the past, the

Hirshhorn has not taken advantage of the name recognition of the Smithsonian. In a survey of 70 adults from all

over the country, 36 percent of respondents did not realize that the Hirshhorn was a part of the Smithsonian

(Quick, 2015).

According to Hirshhorn Museum Director of Communications and Marketing Kelly Carnes, the Smithsonian is

undertaking a comprehensive survey to get quantitative and demographic information from the visitors to each of

the museums. Carnes reports that the early feedback from the survey shows visitor numbers up 30 percent over

this time last year, likely due to the publicity surrounding the change in leadership rather than the “FindYourH”

campaign discussed below.

 

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PROMOTIONS

The museum’s “Find Your H” campaign in signage and on social media as part

of the 40th anniversary celebrations this year was attempted to integrate digital

and traditional marketing (“Hirshhorn launches 40th anniversary celebration,”

2015). An analysis of social media reveals the “#FindYourH” campaign did not

gain traction. According to the website Topsy (2015), “#FindYourH” was only

tweeted four times between May 15 and June 15, 2015. “Hirshhorn”, on the

other hand, was tweeted 811 times (www.topsy.com, 2015). The campaign was

creative, but ultimately did not have enough of a tie in to the Hirshhorn to bring people into the museum.

In the past, the Hirshhorn has offered events such as “Hirshhorn After

Hours” to bring people into the museum. This event was essentially a happy

hour and concert at the Hirshhorn Museum and attracted a number of DC

professionals who purchased tickets for the event. The Hirshhorn Museum

is bringing back Hirshhorn After Hours later this year.

For the summer of 2015, the communications team launched free yoga on the

Hirshhorn Plaza on Friday mornings. Yoga has grown in popularity in recent

years, particularly among women. Given the Friday morning time slot, this

event is more likely to attract stay at home moms and professionals with

flexible schedules. According to Carnes, the event had a good turnout the first

two weeks with 20 and 30 people respectively. It remains to be seen if these

yogis come back to take a look inside the Hirshhorn Museum itself.

RESOURCES

The Hirshhorn’s dedicated communications team, made up of a director, a social media contractor, and a

webmaster, is its greatest resource. The team has a yearly budget of $258,000 for communications. To aid with

the transitions this year, a public relations agency in New York has been contracted to manage this year’s 40th

Anniversary Celebration Campaign currently in process.

Another key resource for this plan is the museum’s online presence. The

Hirshhorn Museum has a comparatively small social media presence with

24,000 Facebook likes, 42,300 Twitter followers, 80 Google+ followers,

and 6,032 Instagram likes as of June 15, 2015. This presence, although

small, will form the foundation for an online campaign. Likewise, the

website will be important. The current website, while colorful, is clunky

and hard to navigate.

 

 

 www.hirshhorn.si.edu

 

It is important to note that many of the results of the

previous promotional campaigns were not well

documented so it is difficult to say what was successful

in the past.

 

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SITUATION ANALYSIS The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden are entering a new chapter in its history. A new director and new

leadership offer the opportunity to move forward and to help the public forget about the controversy surrounding

The Bubble. Melissa Chiu wants to bring the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden into the 21st century and

to truly make it an international force in the contemporary art world. At the same time, the Hirshhorn Museum is a

part of the Smithsonian Institution so the museum needs to also remain accessible to any tourist who walks in

from the National Mall. For the purposes of this plan, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden will be

considered one unit referred to as the Hirshhorn.

In order to move forward, the Hirshhorn will need to position itself in the local and international art and tourism

scenes using the Smithsonian brand as a foundation. The Hirshhorn offers a unique competitive advantage over

many contemporary art museums in that entrance to the museum is free!

OPPORTUNITY The Hirshhorn Museum has the opportunity to use this period of transition in staff to raise awareness of the

museum as part of the Smithsonian in several key publics, thereby elevating the reputation of the museum and

continuing a legacy of supporting contemporary artists while educating the public about modern and

contemporary art.

OBJECTIVES 1. Increase the number of visitors to the Hirshhorn Museum by 15 percent by September 2016.

2. Increase brand awareness (contemporary art, part of the Smithsonian) of the Hirshhorn

Museum in the local DC community as measured through an annual survey by 15 percent by

September 2016.

3. Increase social media followers on all platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+) by

25 percent by September 2016.

GOAL: To position the Hirshhorn Museum as

an internationally known contemporary art museum

by elevating the overall brand recognition of the museum

and aligning the museum with the Smithsonian Institute.

 

 

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KEY PUBLICS Key Public 1: DC-area millennial women

According to The Atlantic.com, DC is the top city in the nation for millennials (Thompson, 2013). Millennials,

people born between 1978 and 1985, are drawn to Washington, DC for factors such as job opportunities, higher

than the national average salaries, housing, and social, educational, and cultural opportunities. Millennials make

up more than 35 percent of the population of the District, as compared to 20 percent of other large cities

(Thompson, 2013). The median age in the District of Columbia is 33.8, according to City-data.com (2015),

making millennials a perfect target. A study by George Mason University in 2010 revealed that only 17.9 percent

of millennials in DC drove alone to work, suggesting that millennials are more likely to take mass transit or carpool

(Powell, 2014).

Millennial women are more likely than men (regardless of age) to be interested in educational programs and

museums so they make a good target audience (Experian Simmons OneView, 2011). Millennials also represent

the future of the museum world. As stated before, millennials are extremely connected online. Over 72 percent

prefer Facebook as their platform of choice (Neilson.com n.d.). Millennials are passionate about causes more

than particular organizations (Hawthorne, 2015), so emphasizing the need to continue supporting the arts may

work better than emphasizing the Smithsonian brand. Telling stories will be more effective on this demographic

than direct solicitation for funds (Hawthorne, n.d.).

Millennial women are more likely to visit a museum with a friend or date as a social activity than alone (Goffman,

2011). The Hirshhorn After Hours event is a great example of a way to reach out to millennial women in the DC

area. For the purposes of this plan, “DC area” refers to a 50-mile radius of DC.

Key Public 2: DC female baby boomers

The DC area is home to some of the wealthiest baby boomers in the country. Baby boomers are defined as the

generation born between 1946 and 1964. According to AARP (2014), the median average income of boomers in

Maryland is $94,000 per year while the median average income in Virginia is $80,100. Interestingly enough,

Washington, DC ranks number one in the nation for the highest percentage of boomers without a car, suggesting

mass transit may be a good way to reach boomers.

Boomers visit museums less than one might expect given their higher income levels and increased free time that

comes with children out of the house and retirement on the horizon. According to a 2013 survey by Mintel, only

about 22 percent of boomers have visited a museum in the past year. A Simmons survey reveals similar data,

showing millennial women as almost two times more likely to visit a museum than boomer women (2011). This

may be in part due to boomers’ perception of amount of leisure time. 35 percent of Boomers still feel that they do

not have enough free time to participate in the leisure activities they would like to enjoy (Mintel.com, 2013).

Boomer women are more likely to participate in volunteer and travel activities than Boomer men, although both

 

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are more likely to do so than men and women 35-45, possibly because that age group is focused on career and

family (Mintel.com, 2013). Boomers control 70 percent of the disposable income in the United States and respond

better to simpler messages, but do not want to be thought of as old (Kirkpatrick, n.d.). Boomer women make a

good target because they have the time and income to visit and to make donations to the Hirshhorn.

Key Public 3: Homeschool community in the United States

There are now over 2.2 million homeschooled children in the United States and homeschooling is expected to

continue to grow at a rate of 2-8 per year, according to the National Homeschool Education Research Institution

(2015). Families may choose to homeschool for any number of reasons – religion, health, lack of quality public

schools, or other concerns. Access to the internet has made homeschooling increasingly appealing.

Homeschooling is no longer limited to white religious fundamentalists. The number of minority families who

homeschool is growing every year (NHERI, 2015). In 2010, there were an estimated 200 families in DC proper

who homeschool (Overetti, 2010). The number of homeschooling families in Virginia nearly doubled between

2002 and 2012, according a report by CBS News (2014). Homeschooling is particularly appealing in the District

and surrounding areas due to the easy access to free cultural and historical sites.

Parents who homeschool often create co-op groups in order to share resources, coordinate teaching, and to

support each other. These groups may connect online through Yahoo, Facebook, or other social media groups or

through meetings at churches, recreation centers, or private homes. These groups are particularly popular in

junior high school and high school where more specialized knowledge is required for the courses. Other

homeschool curricula is comprised of online lectures and tests to teach the upper grade levels.

The driving motivation of homeschooling parents is to provide quality, enriching opportunities for their children.

The parents have chosen to homeschool rather than send their children to public or private school because they

want the best for their children. Therefore the Hirshhorn will need to prove to the parents that visiting the

Hirshhorn is a worthy educational activity. By reaching out to this demographic, the Hirshhorn is not only reaching

the parents and children, but it is also ensuring the future of contemporary art.

POSITIONING/FRAMING As part of the Smithsonian Institution, the Hirshhorn Museum is a premier destination for anyone interested in

learning more about modern art. The Hirshhorn displays the most highly regarded international contemporary

artists of our time. The Hirshhorn is at the cutting edge of technology and offers educational programs for both

children and adults.

NEWS FRAMING

This plan will utilize news framing to showcase how the Hirshhorn is moving into a new era and to discuss what is

happening at the museum. The new programs and new exhibits provide make it is to frame the Hirshhorn as

 

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newsworthy. The Hirshhorn can announce events such as the Hirshhorn After Hours or Yoga on the Mall. The

Hirshhorn can talk about the new exhibits or the new website online. By discussing what is going on at the

museum, the Hirshhorn promote the museum itself as forward thinking and high quality and also raises general

awareness of The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

ATTRIBUTES FRAMING

This plan will also use attributes framing to highlight both the attributes of the museum and of the key publics. The

messaging will highlight the attributes of the museum that should make people want to come visit. It will use these

attributes to frame the museum as offering a high quality experience that the key publics will not want to miss.

Additionally, the plan will use attributes framing to create a picture of the type of person who would want to take

advantage of the Hirshhorn and its programs. This person may be an Asian 20-something professional or a

retired empty nester. This person could be an African American man who is homeschooling his children in DC.

The framing will expand the public’s interpretation of to whom modern art is relevant.

MESSAGING PRIMARY MESSAGE 1

The Hirshhorn Museum is the Smithsonian Institution’s museum dedicated to modern art.

Secondary Message 1

The Hirshhorn displays over 12,000 pieces of art from the early 19th century to today.

Secondary Message 2

The exhibits feature artists such as Matisse, Shiran Neshat, Yoko Ono, and Andy Warhol.

Secondary Message 3

The Hirshhorn is part of the larger Smithsonian Institution network of museums, so taxpayer funds

support it.

Key Public: Homeschool families, millennial and baby boomer women in DC

This message applies to all three publics. The message is simple and straightforward, explaining who the

Hirshhorn is and what the museum displays. This message can be combined message two and three or stand

alone. Message one will be tailored slightly differently for each of the three key publics. For homeschool families,

the messaging will emphasize the number of pieces and the artists to appeal to the educational value of visiting

the museum. For the millennials, this message will focus on the contemporary art aspect. Millennials have more

free time and spend that time in cultural activities. The contemporary art aspect should appeal to their artistic and

cultural side. The messaging for the boomer women will focus on secondary message three so that they connect

the Hirshhorn with the Smithsonian Institute and the gravitas and quality that are associated with the Smithsonian.

 

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PRIMARY MESSAGE 2

The Hirshhorn Museum is entering a new phase in its history,

bringing digital to contemporary art.

Secondary Message 1

Works of art from over 100 artists online are displayed online on our website and web site.

Secondary Message 2

The Hirshhorn debuted five new interactive exhibits with additional exhibits opening in the spring of 2016.

Secondary Message 3

The Hirshhorn’s social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google +) provides the most up to date

information on exhibits and activities at the museum.

Key Publics: Homeschool families and millennial women

Both homeschool families and millennial women will identify with primary message two. For the museum

to appeal to children at all, there has to be a digital aspect. Today’s children and millennials have grown up with

technology. Messaging that points out how the Hirshhorn is becoming more digital and advanced will resonate

with them. Many millennial women may have an idea that contemporary art is boring or irrelevant to them. By

pointing out the advances that have been made, the Hirshhorn will be able to grab the attention of the millennials

and reposition itself as relevant. Homeschool parents will appreciate the ways that they can connect with the

Hirshhorn from around the country without taking a trip to DC – although we also want them to come in person!

PRIMARY MESSAGE 3

The Hirshhorn Museum is located conveniently on the National Mall for anyone looking to explore

and learn more about contemporary art.

Secondary Message 1

The Hirshhorn is located only a five-minute walk from either the L’Enfant Plaza or Smithsonian Metro

stops.

Secondary Message 2

The Hirshhorn is open daily year-round except on Christmas Day.

Secondary Message 3

Every year more than 640,000 people from around the world visit the Hirshhorn Museum.

Secondary Message 4

The museum displaying 12,000 pieces of art showcasing both American and international artists.

 

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Secondary Message 5

Admission is free!

Key Public: Baby-boomer women in DC

Primary message three will be directed at boomer women in DC. Boomer women perceive themselves as

busy and often do not feel they have time to waste on themselves. Primary message three emphasizes the

convenience of the Hirshhorn. It is close to two Metro stops. It is open daily. It is free. All of these points will help

convince boomer women in DC to spend some time at the Hirshhorn.

STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

KEY PUBLIC: FEMALE MILLENIALS IN DC

Strategy 1

Take advantage of the millennials’ relatively higher amounts of free time and their desire to connect by offering

activities at the Hirshhorn outside regular business hours. *Message 1/3

Tactic 1: Offer 2 engaging social events per quarter aimed at millennials. Each event will be marketed

appropriately through social media with a hashtag, branded photos, and live photos from the event itself.

The communications team should also reach out to local bloggers such as Popville, DCist, The

Washington Museum Art Gallery Meet Up group and Brightest Young Things. The event may also be

promoted in local newspapers and as part of the integrated marketing campaign discussed in strategy

three. Other social media campaign ideas can be found in the appendix.

o Bring back Hirshhorn After Hours.

o Serve free coffee on Saturday and Sunday mornings to encourage

people to make visiting the Hirshhorn a social event.

Tactic 2: Offer educational programming such as lecture series on

contemporary artists or drawing, painting, sculpture, or mixed media art

classes. These can be marketed as date night or girls night out activities. To

defray costs, a nominal fee may be charged.

Strategy 2

Develop a five-year comprehensive digital plan to overhaul the Hirshhorn Museum’s online presence in order to

increase awareness and perception in the eyes of millennial women. * Message 1/2/3

   

Hishhorn After Hours www.facebook.com/hirshhorn

 

 

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Tactic 1: Improve upon current social media presence through engaging

content. This will include creating individualized strategies for each social

media platform. Posts will include questions and asks for generated

content to create conversations. Posts should be highly visual and

include tactics such as infographics. Additionally, the Hirshhorn Museum

should submit one Buzzfeed article per quarter to attract the attention of millennials.

Tactic 2: Design and implement a weekly/monthly email newsletter informing subscribers of the latest

news at the Hirshhorn. This enewsletter should be highly visual and engaging. It should link to

appropriate pages on the web site. The subject line should be creative and eye catching, not “Hirshhorn

Newsletter: Month, Date, Year”. Instead grab the reader’s attention with a subject line that hints at the

content included.

Tactic 3: Redesign the Hirshhorn Museum website to take advantage of Smithsonian branding, improve

the mobile and desktop user experience, and make the site more interactive.

Tactic 4: Begin development of an app that is available on both Google

Play and the iOS App Store. This app will provide the “inside scoop” on the

Hirshhorn by utilizing beacon technology to make the most interactive

experience possible within the museum. This beacon technology should

integrate with the app so that information pops up on the user’s cell phone

when the user comes close to certain exhibits. For example, when the

visitor approaches the Neshat exhibit, information about the artist and the

exhibit should pop up on the cell phone’s home screen. When the visitor

approaches the Yoko One piece, a link to a recorded interview or other

information about her should pop up.

Strategy 3: Launch an integrated marketing campaign around the city of DC to increase the awareness of the

Hirshhorn Museum. This could also be tied in with the opening of an exhibit or with the 40th anniversary

celebration. *Message 3 - also targets boomer women and homeschoolers

Tactic 1: Place signs in Metro stations and on buses promoting events and the museum.

Tactic 2: Take out ads in local newspapers such as the City Paper and the Washington Post promoting

both events and the museum as a whole.

 

   

 

 

 

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Tactic 3: Purchase radio spots to coincide with launch of lectures and social activities on popular radio

stations such as 89.3 FM, 107.3 FM, 104.1 FM and 93.9.

Tactic 4: Create Facebook videos around each new exhibit, promoting each event, and explaining

contemporary art in more depth. These can include interviews with museum staff, volunteers, and the

artists or even the visitors themselves.

Tactic 5: Purchase Facebook and Google Ads that are targeted to women in their 20s, who are interested

in arts and culture, and who live within the Northern Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia area (50

miles radius of DC).

Tactic 6: Place signs on the Hirshhorn Museum similar to the “FindYourH” campaign but with updated

messaging and branding.

Tactic 7: Implement a social media campaign on each platform with a consistent hashtag to promote each

event. For example, #hah #hirshhornafterhours #artandcoffee or #hirshhornevents. More social media

campaign ideas are listed in Appendix C.

Tactic 8: Place physical promotional cards for each event or museum in local coffee shops and

community gathering places.

KEY PUBLIC: LOCAL FEMALE BABY BOOMERS

Strategy 1: Reposition the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden as “The Smithsonian Institute’s Hirshhorn

Museum and Sculpture Garden.” This strategy takes advantage of the positive association that female boomers

have with the Smithsonian Institute and will ultimately increase visitation to the museum. *Message 1

Tactic 1: Ensure that the Smithsonian logo is present on all print and digital advertising.

Tactic 2: In all media and press releases, introduce the Hirshhorn as “The Smithsonian Institution’s

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.”

Tactic 3: Tie this rebrand into the website and social media rollout above. The Smithsonian name and

logo should be prominent on the website. All social media platforms should include the Smithsonian

Institution in their bio/description.

 

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Strategy 2: Launch an integrated marketing campaign around the city of DC to promote the Hirshhorn museum

and increase awareness and visitation by female boomers. This could also be tied in with the opening of an

exhibit or with the 40th anniversary celebration. *Message 1/2/3 – millennial women and homeschool families.

Tactic 1: Post signs in Metro stations and on Metrobuses promoting the museum. These signs can focus

on a particular event or exhibit, or on the museum itself.

Tactic 2: Place ads in local newspapers and the Washington Post promoting the programs of the museum

and the museum itself.

Tactic 3: Purchase radio spots to promote the programs of the museum on adult contemporary, jazz and

classic rock stations such as 104.1 FM, 107.3 FM, 89.3 FM, and 90.9 FM.

Tactic 4: Create Facebook videos around each new exhibit, promoting each event, and explaining

contemporary art in more depth. These videos can include interviews with museum staff, volunteers, and

the artists or even visitors to the museum.

KEY PUBLIC: UNITED STATES HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY

Strategy 1: Develop a “Hirshhorn Kids” program targeted at late-elementary and junior high children, similar to the

American History Museum’s “American History Kids”, to increase social media engagement and visitation by this

key public.

Tactic 1: Designate a section of the website with interactive information about the featured artists on an

appropriate level for 8-14 year olds. This will involve some ramp up time as the material is created and as

the website is revamped. Ultimately, the website will be helpful as an educational tool for homeschool and

public and private school children. The website should contain video interviews with the artists, interesting

facts about the museum, quizzes, projects, articles, and other hands-on activities for this age group.

Tactic 2: Begin year-round Tuesday or Thursday morning tours of the museum designed specifically for

8-14 year olds in June of 2016. This date will allow for ample ramp up time for the material to be created

and for the curators to be trained in how to target a tour for children. These tours will introduce children to

contemporary art and help encourage a love of art. The tour may or may not include the entire museum. It

may focus on one particular artist or a particular floor. The tour should conclude with some kind of

interactive activity that reinforces what was taught on the tour.

Tactic 3: Send individualized emails to local homeschool co-ops and support groups with information

about Hirshhorn Kids and asking them to review and share the information with their readers.

 

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Tactic 4: Place targeted Facebook and Google Ads to attract the attention of homeschool educators and

families.

Strategy 2: Launch an integrated marketing campaign to increase awareness of the Hirshhorn museum as

specifically applicable to children and homeschool communities and to increase the number of visitors from this

key public. *Message 3 - also targets boomer women and millennial women in a slightly different implementation

with a different message.

Tactic 1: Place ads in the Washington Post and local newspapers in the DC area to promote the

Hirshhorn Kids programs.

Tactic 2: Place targeted Facebook and Google Ads to attract the attention of homeschool educators and

families.

Tactic 3: Reach out to mommy bloggers and homeschool co-ops with information about the Hirshhorn

Kids program and asking them to talk about the Hirshhorn Kids program with their audiences. A sampling

of homeschool blogs and mommy bloggers are listed in Appendix D.

Tactic 4: Contact the editors and publishers of homeschool curriculum to discuss tie-ins and partnerships.

Appendix E lists a sampling of homeschool curriculum publishers. This tactic will likely take several years

to fully implement.

 

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CALENDAR

 

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BUDGET The budget found on the following pages includes money for a website redesign and mobile app development.

This money may be spread over this year and next year or included all in this year’s budget. This plan allows for a

buffer between the $258,000 budget given to the communications team and the $237,540 allotted to allow room

for unexpected or unanticipated expenditures.

 

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EVALUATION Once this plan has been implemented, it is important to evaluate the successfulness of the plan in each

of the three objectives.

1. Increase the number of visitors to the Hirshhorn Museum by 15 percent by September 2016.

The success of this objective can easily be determined by comparing visitor numbers from September

2015 to 2016.

2. Increase brand awareness (contemporary art, part of the Smithsonian) of the Hirshhorn

Museum in the local DC community as measured through an annual survey by 15 percent by

September 2016.

In order to evaluate this objective, a survey such as the one done via Survey Monkey for this plan

should be conducted. The survey taken in July 2015 surveyed both DC locals and people from around

the country. The survey to evaluate Objective two should be limited to people in the Washington, DC

area and compared to the responses of the Washington, DC metropolitan area residents from the 2015

survey.

3. Increase social media followers on all platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+) by

25 percent by September 2016.

Objective three can be evaluated by comparing the number of social media followers on each of the

indicated platforms in September 2015 to the number of followers in 2016.

 

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Appendix A SWOT Analysis

Strength Opportunity

The Smithsonian Institute has a high level of name recognition worldwide.

There are no entrance fees.

Melissa Chiu has established contacts in the New

York and international art museums.

Government funding is increasing and the Hirshhorn Museum is fiscally solvent.

The museum displays some of today’s leading

contemporary artists.

The Hirshhorn is located on the National Mall where

millions of people visit each year.

Smithsonian Institute has an extremely high name and brand recognition nationally and internationally.

Establishing a New York office will give local access

to New York art community.

The Hirshhorn is not yet connected online to all its visitors presenting a great opportunity for growth.

Millennials are looking for opportunities to connect

with each other.

The public does not realize there is no entrance fee.

The public does not know what type of art or media

the Hirshhorn Museum displays.

The building itself seems imposing.

The museum has a relatively small social media presence.

People may find contemporary art to be intimidating.

The team has no strategic communications plan.

Seemingly contradictory purposes.

DC is not known for its contemporary art community.

Government support for the arts is decreasing

overall.

Other Smithsonian Institute museums are more known to the public.

Other museums are better known internationally for

contemporary art.

Museums such as the Guggenheim have a head start on incorporating technology in their exhibits and

communications.

Public can view many of the works of art online and no longer feel it is necessary to go to the actual

museum in person.

Weakness Threat

 

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Appendix B Survey Results

Survey conducted June 27 – July 4, 2015 of 75 adults from around the United States

Purpose: Measure general awareness of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

1. The Hirshhorn Museum displays what type of materials? a. Medieval artwork – 10.77%

b. History of theater - 4.62%

c. Revolutionary War materials – 9.23%

d. Contemporary art – 69.23%

e. Native American history – 6.15%

2. The Hirshhorn Museum is part of the Smithsonian

Institute. a. True – 62.69%

b. False – 37.31%

3. Have you visited the Hirshhorn Museum? a. Yes – 32.88%

b. No – 67.12%

4. Have you visited the Sculpture Garden? a. Yes – 44.59%

b. No – 55.41%

5. Admission to the Hirshhorn Museum costs: a. $15.00 – 13.85%

b. $30.00 – 13.85%

c. $10.00 – 12.31%

d. $40.00 + - 0%

e. $0.00 – 60%

*Confusion over the difference between the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden verses the Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture Garden may have swayed this question. As such, it was not included in the plan background, messaging, strategies, or tactics.  

*It is possible that some people were not immediately sure of their answer but guessed correctly.  

*This number was higher than expected, but still indicative that the Hirshhorn needs to capitalize on its relationship with the Smithsonian Institution.  

 

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6. How many museums or historical sites have you been to visit in the past year? a. More than 10 – 6.76%

b. 8-10 – 10.81%

c. 4-7 – 18.02%

d. 2-3 – 36.49%

e. 1 – 9.46%

f. 0 – 17.57%

7. Have you ever visited the Guggenheim Museum? a. Yes – 28.83%

b. No – 62.16%

c. What’s the Guggenheim? – 9.46%

8. Have you visited the National Gallery of Art? a. Yes – 69.86%

b. No - 30.14%

9. Do you live within 50 miles of Washington, DC? a. Yes – 33.78%

b. No – 66.22%

10. Marital Status a. Single (no children) – 44.59%

b. Single (with children) – 6.76%

c. Married (no children) – 12.16%

d. Married (with children) – 33.78%

e. Other – 2.70%

*Further analysis of the data revealed no clear correlation between living within 50 miles of Washington, DC and correct answers to the other questions.  

 

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Appendix C Social Media Campaign Ideas

• Tag every post with #hirshhorn or #hirshhornsi.

• Potential campaigns:

o Program specific:

§ #hirshhornkids

§ #artlab

o Artist or exhibit specific:

§ #NeshatHM

§ #WarholHM

§ #OnoHM

o Event specific:

§ #hirshhornafterhours

§ #hah

§ #hirshhornevents

§ #hirshhornyoga

§ #artandcoffee

• 40th Anniversary campaigns:

o Take a look back at the history of the Hirshhorn through photos and videos – great for

#throwbackthursday.

o #whoishirshhorn – This campaign would include photos and interviews with both past

and present staff, volunteers, and visitors. This campaign should break the stereotype of

who would visit or be a part of the Hirshhorn Museum legacy.

o Create an infographic with information about how many different artists have been

displayed since the Hirshhorn opened.

• Capitalize on trending topics whenever possible, particularly on Twitter.

• Join existing conversations whenever relevant.

 

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Appendix D Sample Letter to a DC Blogger

It's back! The Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is excited to announce the next Hirshhorn After Hours on Thursday, March 19, 2016. Hirshhorn After Hours is an event like no other in DC. Join other young professionals as the Hirshhorn opens its doors for live music, drinks, and exclusive access to the museum - after hours. View all 12,000 of the pieces of contemporary and modern art while mixing and mingling with new friends and old. Here is what people had to say after the fall After Hours event: “GREAT crowd. Had a hint of NYC w. the DC vibe. Loved the event space. This was my first time at the

Hirshhorn, after hours or otherwise. Looking forward to returning during regular hours and hopefully After Hours again.”

“I love the event –

it's my favorite museum and After Hours is a great and different way to experience it. ”

Hirshhorn After Hours is sure to be an event to remember and we want your readers to be there! We are offering a discount of $5 off the price of entrance if your readers use the code #HAH2015 when they register. Tickets may be purchased online at www.hirshhorn.si.edu/afterhours. Don't miss it! Thank you for helping to spread the word! Best, Kelly Carnes Director of Communications and Marketing Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Smithsonian Institution

 

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Appendix E Homeschool Resources

Blogs to Contact:

• www.confessionsofahomeschooler.com

• http://www.1plus1plus1equals1.net

• http://sojourner-ephraim.blogspot.com

• http://education.penelopetrunk.com

• http://simplehomeschool.net

• http://www.allabouthomeschoolcurriculum.com/homeschool-curriculum-blog.html

• http://blogshewrote.org

• http://ourjourneywestward.com

• http://benandme.com

• http://unschoolrules.com

• http://harringtonharmonies.com

• http://www.tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com

• http://thewiredhomeschool.com

• http://www.theunlikelyhomeschool.com

Homeschool Curriculum:

• Alpha Omega www.aop.com/homeschool

• Classical Conversations: www.classicalconversations.com

• K12 : www.k12.com - Online Public and Private Schools

• Veritas Press: www.veritaspress.com

 

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Appendix F Sample Letter to a Homeschool Group

What do you think of when you think of contemporary art? Do you think of a blank white canvas? Or something that looks like a toddler could have put it together? Or something so graphic that you would never consider letting a child look at it? What if I told you that modern art can be applicable to children? In fact, contemporary art SHOULD be taught to children. The Smithsonian Institution's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden would like to partner with your group to introduce contemporary art to students at a young age. Contemporary art covers a wide range of styles and media from pieces dating to the late 19th century to today. It is vital that we pass on a love of the arts to the next generation. We are excited to announce the launch of Hirshhorn Kids, a section of the website dedicated to children. There you will find activities and information about contemporary art at an appropriate level. It is our hope that you will be able to incorporate some of our activities into your curriculum. We will also be launching tours of the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden on Tuesday morning aimed specifically at children aged 8-14. These tours provide a chance for children to experience the museum on their own level. The museum is located conveniently on the National Mall, close to the Smithsonian and L'enfant Metro stops. With over 12,000 pieces, the museum offers a variety of styles and artists. As always, admission is free! Please take a look at our website (www.hirshhorn.si.edu/hirshhornkids) and let us know what you think. We will see you soon at the Hirshhorn! Best, Melissa Chiu

Director

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Smithsonian Institution

 

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Appendix G Video Ideas

Each of these ideas is designed to be simple enough to be created in iMovie but can also be made

more complex with the right staff and volunteers.

1. What is modern art? 35-50 seconds

- Open with black screen and voiceover “What is modern art?”

- White screen with music bed that continues to the end of video.

- Abstract drawing that could have been done by a child.

- Voiceover: “This is modern art”

- Pictures of exhibits from Hirshhorn Museum – one at a time, added at increasing frequency.

End on picture of the exterior of the museum.

- Voiceover :“This is modern art”

-Hirshhorn logo and website come up on screen.

- Fade to black.

2. Who is Hirshhorn? – 60-90 seconds

- Open with black screen and voiceover: “Who is Hirshhorn?”

- Instrumental music bed throughout the film.

- Video clips of staff and volunteers talking about what they love about Hirshhorn.

- Be sure to involve a diverse cast of people.

- B-roll pictures of people at work in the museum and visiting the museum.

- End with Hirshhorn logo and website.

- Fade to black.

3. Promotional Video for Hirshhorn After Hours

- Use photos and video clips from previous events.

- Talk about who is performing at this event and why they should come.

- Encourage people to purchase tickets online on the Hirshhorn website.

 

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Appendix H Sample Promotional Card

 

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