Like many museums housed at universities, the Blanton Museum of Art struggled with a lack of awareness in its own community. Located at the University of Texas at Austin, the Blanton has a world-class collection—17,000 pieces—something the school’s students knew, but not the general public. That awareness changed in April 2006, when the Blanton’s move into a new 180,000-sq.-ft. building was celebrated with a grand opening and launch of the new museum’s brand.

Austin creative agency Milkshake describes the techniques it employed here as “building brands that build community.” Prin­cipal and founder Katherine Jones likens the approach to the LIVESTRONG campaign (you know the yellow wristbands), emphasizing that, with its move, the Blanton brand could become a platform connecting people with art, ideas and each other.

FINDING A FIT
From research, Milkshake learned of two major perceptional issues to overcome: first, that the university location implied the museum might be boring and institutional; and second, that there’s a real difference between attracting “artophiles” and the general public to the museum.

With a mission to be a “welcoming place for all visitors,” the museum needed to bring in more of the latter. And to become a more relevant part of the community, the Blanton would have to convince the public that the experience within can be vibrant— even fun—and that visitors will be able to relate to the art inside.

Milkshake began with the idea that museums should be more than places for tourists; they must be part of the larger commu­nity. From there, it was a matter of devising a creative strategy that would portray the museum as an essential part of the Austin scene … no easy task in a city known more for live music than art. Milkshake also recognized that working with a nonprofit meant both the initial launch and ongoing promotions would need to be achievable within a limited budget: All creative pieces had to be conceived as part of a system of components that could be easily updated and extended for the promotion of future exhibits.

HOMEGROWN ADVOCATES For visitors to truly feel the new museum’s personality, the Blan­ton’s employees needed to be onboard with the new brand, embracing their central role in the overall museum experience. In one of the most elegant pieces of the campaign, journals (with blank archival paper and covers emblazoned with a fashionable interpretation of the Blanton logo) were given to employees to introduce them to the new identity. Marrying brand messaging with the luxurious, tactile quality of the paper made these journals coveted keepsakes for the staff—a perfect medium for art-loving individuals employed at the Blanton. The journals worked so well in generating goodwill and positive word-of-mouth that you can now buy variations of the journals in the gift shop.

ART IS …
What defines your perceptions of art? Is your perception and experience the same as mine? Doubtful … which is precisely why Milkshake created an interpretive foundation for the Blanton campaign that centers on “Art is” messages. Art is divine. Art is curious. Art is wonder. Art is experience. As the overarching cam­paign message, the theme works because it not only speaks to the breadth of the collections you can see at the museum, it extends to the subjective nature of the museum experience itself.

Seen in bookmarks, street decals, print advertisements and bill­boards around greater Austin, the messages are combined with clever imagery (each installment features a cropped detail from a piece in the Blanton collection juxtaposed with a recognizable element of Austin life) to emphasize the approachable nature of the museum.

CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS
What’s especially nice about these pieces is they’re not over-designed. And they don’t treat the art as precious, untouchable arti­facts, but as something that can be incorporated into everyday life. As designers, we are accustomed to freely cropping photos as we see .t for a layout, but Milkshake’s staff found working with art is different. In fact, the designers are still amazed and grateful that the Blanton’s curators allowed them to use the art as they did. So, in addition to being effective communication vehicles, the finished pieces represent a high level of trust between both parties.

Another collaborative element was a 24-hour public grand open­ing weekend. Starting at 9 p.m., the event generated sought-after buzz and introduced a fresh audience to the museum. Depend­ing on the time of day, there were families or college students or young professionals and more. Jones recalls the experience of visit­ing the Blanton at 4 a.m. with friends, all in their pajamas. Only in Austin does this remark not sound odd at all! By crafting the open­ing event in this way, Milkshake was able to help the Blanton break down barriers and make the museum more welcoming and invit­ing. The proof of the excitement is in the numbers: In its first week, the museum had 22,000 visitors, with 13,000 in the 24-hour open­ing event alone.

Granted, organizations like the Blanton—those occupying a physical space that can be visited—have some built-in advantages in using location to leverage their brands. But Milkshake’s approach is to apply this thinking to every client: Every brand space, whether real or virtual, can provide a way for people to connect.

SUSTAINING THE BONDS
A new brand has to live beyond the excitement of the initial launch. Ann Wilson, associate director at the Blanton, says she still hears positive remarks about the original creative campaign (the artworks juxtaposed with Austin photos), and that people felt an emotional bond with the images. From an audience market study conducted in 2003, the museum had projected 143,000 visi­tors in the first 12 months following the launch; they far exceeded that goal with 177,000 visitors.

Today, the Blanton continues the subjective nature of the “Art is” message by having a different statement serve as a theme for monthly “B scene” art parties. In keeping with its brand offer of “extraordinary experiences,” the Blanton also provides adult art activities where visitors can engage with the art, not just view it.

The ongoing challenge for the Blanton, says Wilson, is to main­tain the high level of creativity that Milkshake started. Like most nonprofits, the museum relies on a combination of in-house and external firms to produce many of its materials. The museum has to be diligent to maintain consistency across providers and platforms.

Looking beyond the success of the campaign for the Blanton, the biggest benefits accrue to the community. “Austin has always been highly regarded as a creative city, but until very recently, we lacked a truly renowned museum space,” says mayor Will Wynn. “With the successful launch of the new Blanton, that’s changed forever, and finally, we’ve got an exquisite cultural landmark here, a pillar for the entire community. Great museums help produce great citizens, and the Blanton will strengthen our community for decades to come.”

www.milkshakemedia.com

MILKSHAKE
PRINCIPAL, FOUNDER: Katherine Jones
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Curt Crawford
ART DIRECTORS: Chris Ollier, Brian Auderer
DESIGNER: Ryan Thompson
DIRECTOR, BRAND STRATEGY & PLANNING: Randall Macon
DIRECTOR, CLIENT SERVICES: Leah Heck
WRITER: John Long