Author: Recacho, Berlinda

Publication Year: 1998

Media Type: Case study

Summary:

Phoenix Art Museum's past membership drives lacked a distinct identity and as a result yielded very low returns. The Museum persisted with yearly direct-mail membership campaigns despite a much wider chronic problem: ineffective communication both internally between the Museum's departments and externally between the Museum and its potential members. The experience of visiting Phoenix Art Museum was made even more enticing by the Museum's first "blockbuster" show, Splendors of Ancient Egypt, which was set to open in fall 1998. Egypt was presented as the "doorway" through which new members could enter the Museum in a way that set them apart from other members. By using a highly targeted customer list and focusing on promotion strategies for its direct mail membership appeal, the Museum gained a windfall of new memberships and increased revenue.

Abstract:

Phoenix Art Museum's past membership drives lacked a distinct identity and as a result yielded very low returns. The Museum persisted with yearly direct-mail membership campaigns despite a much wider chronic problem: ineffective communication both internally between the Museum's departments and externally between the Museum and its potential members. The experience of visiting Phoenix Art Museum was made even more enticing by the Museum's first "blockbuster" show, Splendors of Ancient Egypt, which was set to open in fall 1998. Egypt was presented as the "doorway" through which new members could enter the Museum in a way that set them apart from other members. By using a highly targeted customer list and focusing on promotion strategies for its direct mail membership appeal, the Museum gained a windfall of new memberships and increased revenue.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Marketing and Communications