harvard business school community partners

Harvard Business School Community Partners


How Can the Oakland Museum Build Its Brand?

(Or don’t hide your light under a bushel)

A Consulting Project of the Harvard Business School

Community Partners

March 24, 2005



1. Project Mission and Methodology

2. Branding Overview

3. Survey Results

4. Re-thinking The Museum’s Brand Strategy

5. Running a Branding Campaign – Board Action Items

6. Appendix: Specific Recommendations for the Staff

Agenda



Project Mission and Methodology

Our Mission:• Engaged by Tony Harris, Dennis Powers, and the Audience

Development Committee• Challenge: Such a terrific place, why is it not better known?• Confine project to the current state of the brand and what could

be done to increase awareness and attendance.

Our Methodology:• A team of six volunteers (many with deep branding experience)

from HBS Community Partners worked on this for 14 weeks• Interviewed staff, board members, and journalists• Analyzed best practices• Make recommendations specific to both staff and board that are

actionable, creative, and true to your mission





3. Survey Results




Agenda



Branding Overview

What is branding?

Branding is the

emotional and practical relationship

between an

individual and a

company or organization.



Branding Overview

What is branding?

Examples of emotional and practical relationships

Brand Practical Relationship Emotional Relationship

• Ultra-low prices

• One-stop shopping for everything you could possibly need

• Wal-Mart is on my side, bringing me the best values available

• Great place to discover bargains

• Value-priced designer name brands

• Innovative designs for home

• Target is a cool, hip place for me to shop

• My one stop for Purina Dog Chow and Mossimo jeans

A Test . . . . Where do I go if I want a . . . ?

http://www.walmart.com/

http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/ref=nav_t_logo/601-3303961-8357754?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=1038576



Branding Overview

How is branding practiced?

•The Right Concept– At the very least, a brand should be salient,

memorable, and noteworthy

•The Right Standards– Develop a set of brand usage and style guidelines so

the brand is consistent across all channels

•The Right Implementation– Apply the brand in strict accordance with the

guidelines, enabling the brand to become sharper, stronger

Branding is NOT PR – it is all communication (marketing, remodeling, signage, recruiting volunteers, building your collection)



Branding Overview

How does branding impact nonprofits?

1. Strengthens the relationship between an organization and its stakeholders through targeted, effective, and consistent messages

2. Enhances the integration of marketing communications with other planning processes (capital campaign, remodeling project, volunteer recruitment)

3. Builds the reputation and visibility of an organization in order to attract more funds, volunteers, and other resources to achieve its mission

Your Brand is Your Mission



Branding Overview

What Does This Mean to the Oakland Museum?

• An effective Brand Can:– Increase attendance (MOMA)

– Enable you to rise above the clutter of thousands of entertainment and cultural options in the Bay Area (The Tech Museum)

– Become a choice for a day’s outing without spending a single dime on advertising or promotion (“Zoo” – no such word – correct name: “scientific zoological garden”)

– Free ride off of related advertising (Disney’s California Adventure, Gov. Schwarzenegger’s passionate speeches about the beauty of California, etc)

• Effectively increase your advertising budget by millions $ per year





3. Survey Results




Agenda


Good News:Remarkable consensus among the Board of

Directors (one of the first we have ever seen)Passion: about Museum, it’s quality, and its

(potential) benefit to the communityEngaged, Excited – each interview could have

lasted twice as long – You love this place.

Not So Good NewsThe arts and culture editors we surveyed had no

idea who you were, or what we were talking about, or in some instances, clearly had the wrong impression

Points to an acknowledged problem: Lack of awareness of the Museum’s mission.


Survey Results


Priorities for the board are clear:

Top priority:Fundraising 57%Strategy and planning 29%Outreach 14%

Among the top three priorities:Fundraising 100%Strategy and planning 80%Outreach 80%


Survey of the Board of Directors

% Surveyed

Agreement


Your “quick description” of the museum emphasizes “California” and the “three museums in one” concepts:

California 62%Multiple collection approach 30%Unique facility and grounds 8%

These are also your perceived differentiators:

California 47%Multiple collection approach 39%Reflects the community 7%Unique facility and grounds 7%


Concepts and Differentiators

% Surveyed

Agreement


The perceived impact of the remodeling is generally positive, but the primary benefits cited vary widely (representative comments cited):

“New modern look inside and out”“Easier and more welcoming to navigate”“More space for community events”“Better integration of museum offerings”“More interactive exhibits”“Opportunity to initiate or renew visitor interest”“Not much”


Benefits of Remodeling

Not in Agreement


You believe the visitor count should be increased markedly over the current 150,000 per year.

250,000+ 100%

300,000+ 91%400,000+ 52% (equals 1999)500,000+ 30%1,000,000+ 9%


Post-Remodeling Goals – Attendance

% Surveyed

Agreement



You see greater potential in the Museum’s future and that the remodel will enhance the Museum experience (representative excerpts cited):

“Exciting” “Can’t Wait to Return” “Memorable” “Stimulating” “Wonderful” “Refreshing” “Impressive” “Wow”“Convenient” “Safe”“Quality” “Can’t Wait to Join” “Unique” “Cutting Edge” “Professional” “Educational” “Enlightening” “Fresh”“Bright” “Exceedingly Relevant” “Entertaining” “Dynamic”

Post-Remodeling Goals – Visitor Impressions


Specifically, you want visitors to take away…

• A greater appreciation of California and its art, history and ecology (69%)

• An active experience and high interest response to the quality of content available (22%)

• A deeper understanding of the community (9%)

The Museum’s Lasting Impact

Agreement


You have strong agreement regarding what your brand should connote:

Rank 1Rank 1-3

California 85%100%

Art, History & Nat. History 10%100%

Oakland 5%25%

Local Community 5%25%

Museum Emphasis and Orientation

Agreement


• Equated to an automobile, the museum is generally regarded as an older model, sometimes classy, sometimes not:

• 3 Respondents: “Camry”

• 2 Respondents: “Station wagon”

• 2 Respondents: “Chevy”

• 2 Respondents: “Mercedes”

• Other respondents: “1972 Oldsmobile” “1956 Buick Sedan” “1950’s Ford” “Saab” “2005 American Hybrid”

• Collectively speaking, these impressions are all over the map

The Board’s Current Brand Feelings

Partial Agreement


You believe the primary barriers to increased visitation are not facility related:

1. Lack of awareness 30%2. Lack of compelling content 22%3. Negative image of Oakland 17%4. Disadvantageous location 13%5. Facility is not attractive 9%6. Modern “busy” lifestyles 9%


Items Impeding Attendance

% Surveyed

Revealing: The remodeling project and the perceived benefits of remodeling will NOT solve 5 of the 6 barriers to attendance


Surveyed 5 Bay Area Arts and Culture Editors/ Museum Reporters

Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, Oakland Tribune, Guardian, Mercury News

STOPPED! The survey process5 of 5 said they had visited the Museum

5 of 5 were aware of particular exhibits

1 of 5 knew the Museum was about California3 of 5 said the Museum was about Oakland and Oakland’s History0 of 5 knew it was one of the largest museums in the Bay Area

(by budget, collection, and square footage)


Survey of Arts/Culture Editors


Agreement among Board about:MissionMessagePrioritiesProblems

Agreement among Board and outsiders:Lack of Awareness

Goal: You Must Tell the World What You Do and Why It is Exciting


Summary





3. Survey Results




Agenda



Branding Overview

What is a good brand?

The most important part of a branding process is the

core brand message:

1. Is it simple and clear enough?2. Does it differentiate your organization in the

marketplace?3. Is it true?4. Is it relevant?5. Is it consistent with the organization’s core values?



Testing the Current Brand

“The Oakland Museum of California”



Testing “The Oakland Museum of California”1. Is it simple and clear enough?

• Often gets truncated to “Oakland Museum”• Not sure if focus is on “Oakland” or “California”• The Title of This Presentation• Web address: oaklandmuseum.org

2. Does it differentiate your organization in the marketplace?• Sort of, but why the Oakland Museum of California? Is there

another Museum of California in Los Angeles or San Diego?

3. Is it true?• Partially: true to California but not adequately true to Oakland

4. Is it relevant?• Relevant to California, relevant to Oakland in location only

5. Is it consistent with the organization’s core values?• It somewhat complicates the values, which are: “Our mission is to

be the ‘museum of California’” (2002 Mission Statement)



Simplify the Message

Given that it doesn’t entirely pass the test, we recommend changing your name to:

“The California Museum”

A thriving, unique, dynamic, renowned cultural center In the heart of Oakland



Testing “The California Museum”

1. Is it simple and clear enough?• Yes – three words, no ambiguity

2. Does it differentiate your organization in the marketplace?• Yes – it’s THE one and only California Museum

3. Is it true?• Yes

4. Is it relevant?• Yes

5. Is it consistent with the organization’s core values?• Yes

Solves the Biggest Problem: How to Tell the Bay Area What You Do

We also thought about “The Museum of California” decided against it considering:

• Passive

• Four words instead of three: Possibility of getting truncated to “Museum of CA” in print and web

• Conjures image of history only – not art and nature

• Sounds a bit stuffy for such a friendly, community-minded organization

•With “The California Museum” we believe that:

• Active

• Says what it does, does what it says

• Differentiated and succinct: three words! More “blink” appeal

• Strong emotional attributes: “California,” which has extremely strong, universally-appealing brand attributes, comes first

• Much easier to link art, history and nature together as part of California “experience”

• Indefinite article “The” gives weight of authority – and many potentially exciting branding campaigns in the future


“Of” versus “The”


36 years of work –you can deliver on this

promise of being“A Museum’s

Museum”

#1 priority for the next 5 years – (Practical

Relationship) let people know what you

do

Next branding campaign attributes:

Hip, friendly, etc(Emotional

Relationship)Operations – Are you doing a good

job? Is this a place

accessible to all?

Vision - Are you representing all of

California? Are you fulfilling your

mission

Brand, Status as a cultural Institution

– Are you meaningful?

Staged Brand Strategy: Mission = Message

The California Museum

The California Museum – Art, History, Nature

We went through many possibilities:• The museum of the California Experience• The California Museum of Art, History and Ecology• California’s Art, History and Environment• California Art, History, Environment, and Culture

The driving need to get your message out compels us to recommend the simplest

• As a tag line, it can change and evolve over time

You have such a unique experience you must educate before you can excite


Tag Line





3. Survey Results




Agenda

Branding is a continuous process

1. Clearly communicate your brand• Balance creativity and discipline

2. Choose and train leaders3. Take on board level projects

• Internal projects• External projects• Support & guide staff

4. Set realistic time table• This is a 5 year process

5. Start now


General Operating Principals

Branding is a continuous process

1. Clearly communicate the brand • Develop message in terms that energize and engage a mass audience

• Three word description• Six word description • one-sentence description• one-paragraph description• Once approved, implement -- use consistently for a minimum of five years in

every communication, pamphlet, interview, and public engagement

• Provide every stakeholder with universal talking points

2. Set simple branding standards• At first, just one: Be consistent

3. Rigorously enforce brand standards • Appoint person to approve all communications to ensure compliance with

branding standards – Brand Czar

• Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

4. Guide and set expectations for Staff• See appendix for suggested staff projects

• Don’t micro manage


The Basics: Communicate and Guide


Balance Creativity and Discipline

You Can Deliver on Your Core Promise – Flaunt it!• Make your museum relevant

Have Fun• 4 ½ city blocks of exhibits

• 1.5 million items in collection

• Largest Museum of its type in the US

• Three Museums under one roof

• Covered Parking, Places for the Kids, Beautiful Gardens

But be consistent:• Example of current literature

Every Board member and staff member is a leader

1. Provide universal talking points

2. Assign roles• Press/editorial meetings

• Bay Area cultural events

• Local constituencies (including City Council)

3. Take on new projects – external & internal


Train Leadership


Board Projects – Think Big

Undertake Board-Level (ie: BIG) Branding Projects

• Rename BART station to “The California Museum”

• Obtain more directional signage on freeway exits and city streets

• Large Architectural Feature -- light tower

• Celebrity Spokespeople

• Alliances with Corporations, other Non-Profits


External Emphasis – The Central Brand

All actions should reinforce the central brand• Minimum: “The California Museum Presents . . .”

• Better: “The California Museum Presents an Exhibit on Events relating to California.”

• Best: “The California Museum Presents A Unique Experience About California That Reminds Us All Why We Find This Place So Fascinating.”


The Museum is the Story

Enlist Pro Bono PR firm for media communications – story pitching and expert spokespeople placement:

1. Do not pitch on name change – it is a non-event2. Go outside Exhibits to pitch stories

• Is the Oakland / East Bay overtaking San Francisco as an art & cultural center?

• Which city has more Latino art – LA or Oakland?• Did California benefit from the Viet Nam war?• The difficulty of properly reconstructing the ocean flows of the bay• Which brought more immigrants to California: The Gold Rush or the

Silicon Rush?• Hanging gardens of Babylon in Oakland?

3. Human interest profiles• Affordable collector’s gallery –best kept secret in the Bay Area• The Museum’s World-Class Refurbishing Experts – How to Fumigate a

Wurlitzer Organ

4. Newsworthy Events• All-star, crowd-pleasing events such as the day of the dead

5. Use your experts – PRWeb.com – including Board members

Focus on driving traffic to the museum to carry the message

Set “allowance” for staff for “2-for-1’s” and “free admits” (We suggest 100,000 for first year)

Suggest Target audiences based on desirability (coalition of interests):

– Every California Tourism, Booster, and Business Council – Every history teacher, history grad student, and history undergraduate

major in the Bay Area– Every leader of environmental and conservation non-profits– Every artist in Oakland

Reinforce your brand INSIDE the MuseumTell ‘em what they are going to see; Tell ‘em what they are seeing;

Tell ‘em what they saw

Signage is criticalWe need to say this twice: Signage is critical


Internal Branding – Enlist Your Visitors

• Your MIssion is Your Brand: The California Museum – Art, History, Nature

• Primary goal: tell people what you do• Board focus on high-impact branding projects

• Set message, guidelines & universal talking points• Strategic campaign for each interest group• Set timeline• Assign leadership roles (spokespeople, government and foundation liaisons,

brand czar, etc)• Form committees to take on big board projects - BART station renaming,

architectural feature, couponing allowances; find pro bono PR firm; change internal signage

• Support and guide staff • Fund increased visitorship initiatives• Ensure consistency

• Have fun – you can deliver on your mission – Flaunt it!• Start Now


Summary





3. Survey Results




Agenda


Recommendations for Staff

High-Impact, Low Effort Initiatives• Designing a message• Public Relations Guidelines (Remember:

Branding is much more than PR)• Media and Web Initiatives• Special Exhibits vs. General Marketing• Signage• Direct Marketing

Develop master descriptions of the museum in terms that energize & engage a mass potential audience.

• Write a one-sentence description• Write a one-paragraph description• Generate fascinating “factoids” list based on your superior knowledge

of what the museum has to offer• Recommend polished wording to Museum board• Once approved, implement -- use consistently for a minimum of five

years in every communication, pamphlet, interview, and public engagement

Replicate message inside museum– Signage


Develop Messaging Once


PR – The Museum Is the Story

General:25 Media Outlets. Ensure general coverage and listings with each of them in

accordance with their listing policies. Apparently, doing a great job.

Specialized:Enlist Pro Bono PR firm for media communications – story pitching and expert

spokespeople placement:

1. Do not pitch on name change – it is a non-event2. Go outside Exhibits to pitch stories

• Is the Oakland / East Bay overtaking San Francisco as an art & cultural center?• Which city has more Latino art – LA or Oakland?• Did California benefit from the Viet Nam war?• The difficulty of properly reconstructing the ocean flows of the bay• Which brought more immigrants to California: The Gold Rush or the Silicon Rush?• Hanging gardens of Babylon in Oakland?

3. Human interest profiles• Affordable collector’s gallery –best kept secret in the Bay Area• The Museum’s World-Class Refurbishing Experts – How to Fumigate a Wurlitzer

Organ

4. Newsworthy Events• All-star, crowd-pleasing events such as the day of the dead

5. Use your experts – PRWeb.com


Web and Guidebook Initiatives

Keep leading with enthusiasm, doing the good things you’re doing while implementing the new brand

• Look for the best in ANY media opportunity • Update information in local newspaper, arts and entertainment

listings• SF Chronicle’s walking tour of downtown Oakland does not

mention the Museum• Google “Oakland Museum of California” – have intern correct

name and description of top 400 hits. Offer webmasters who change the listing a free pass.

• Update information in Oakland and Bay Area visitor guides, travel books, and travel websites

• Update website, using new URLs such as calmuseum.org or calmuseum.com


Special Exhibits vs General Marketing

Any money spent on marketing must reinforce the central brand

Minimum: “The California Museum Presents . . .”

Better: “The California Museum Presents an Exhibit on Events relating to California.”

Best: “The California Museum Presents A Unique Experience About California That Reminds Us All Why We Find This Place So Fascinating.”

Drive traffic to the museum by “couponing” first-time visitors -- offering discounts or two-for-one promotions through the following channels:

• Outreach through tourist & local business councils• Birthday parties• Sporting venues• Area corporations with 1,000+ employees• Bounce-back family 4 pack tickets for all students who visit

via a school field trip• Contact schools outside current area • Tickets for members to pass out – use to bring their friends • Get connected to other Bay Area institutions such as Gen Art


Direct Marketing Initiatives

• Make good use of all the non-verbal ways of communication - color, shape, form, texture

– Logo, signage, materials• Use language consistently• Avoid overload - Resist the temptation to tell too much• Know your audience - Don't bore people, talk down to them or lose them by assuming that they know what you know.• Use signage to lead visitors from one area to another


The Brand is in Your Hands

harvard business school community partners

Documents