Synopses & Reviews
This book applies museum marketing theory in an experiential service context, namely for art galleries and museums. The marketing of museums needs is becoming increasingly sophisticated in an age of declining public funding to each museum, the competitive nature of the information society and the pressures on people for their time. The museum sector is complex in operation with some organisations operating as volunteer organisations, others as venues and collecting institutions, while still others have no collections at all and are exhibition producers. Survival strategies are many and various. The important ones for the museum sector are the increase in competition.
Museum marketing needs to adopt a broader market definition of potential visitors in order to compete for the same entertainment dollar as sport, movies, eating out and other pursuits. Museums are part of an experiential service sector, complicated by intangible elements. It is deeply entrenched by emotion and sensory stimuli and little research has been conducted specifically on this aspect of museum marketing. The focus has been on operational matters in museums, with little attention directed to strategic issues of service quality, satisfaction, repeat visitation, the link between visitors and marketing, the museum experience and perceived value to the visitor.
This edited collection of contributions from global experts - both academics and practitioners - aims to clarify museum marketing in this context and to offer new strategies for development of the sector by examining current marketing theory in a museum setting. Illustrated by case studies, the book is organised around the themes of museum marketing in the global marketplace: audience experiences in the leisure context; marketing, revenue and retail; and museum marketing culture.
* The most up-to-date treatment of marketing museums with a global approach
* Blend of academic and practitioner expertise to appeal to students and professionals seeking a contemporary and relevant approach
* Features a range of international case studies that demonstrate the museum experience and draw out the particular challenges that museums and galleries of varying sizes and types face in the global marketplace
Synopsis
Museums have moved from a product to a marketing focus within the last ten years. This has entailed a painful reorientation of approaches to understanding visitors as ‘customers’; new ways of fundraising and sponsorship as government funding decreases; and grappling with using the internet for marketing. This book brings the latest in marketing thinking to bear on the museum sector taking into account both the commercial issues and social mission it involves. Carefully structured to be highly accessible the book offers:
* A contemporary and relevant and global approach to museum marketing written by authors in Britain, Australia, the United States, and Asia
* An approach that reflects the particular challenges museums of varying sizes face when seeking to market an experience to a diverse set of stakeholders:
audience; funders; sponsors and government.
* A particular focus on museum marketing in the 'Information Age'
* Major case studies at the beginning and end of each section of the book, and smaller case studies within chapters
The hugely experienced author team, includes both leading academics and practitioners to ensure the book has broad appeal and is both relevant, innovative and progressive in approach. It will be essential reading for students in museum studies, non-profit marketing, and arts management and marketing. It will also be equally relevant for professionals working in and managing museums and galleries, heritage attractions and ministries of arts.
* The most up-to-date treatment of marketing museums with a global approach
* Blend of academic and practitioner expertise to appeal to students and professionals seeking a contemporary and relevant approach
* Features a range of international case studies that demonstrate the museum experience and draw out the particular challenges that museums and galleries of varying sizes and types face in the global marketplace
Table of Contents
Foreword
Contributors
List of Tables and Figures
Abbreviations
Preface
Part A: Museums: marketing in the Global Marketplace
Part B: The Audience Experience in a leisure context
Part C: Marketing, revenue and retail
Part D: Museum Marketing Culture
Bibliography
Notes on authors
Index