National Museum
of Wildlife Art
Helping audiences discover more than art at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.
Strategy | Branding & Design | Content Production
Nationwide art museums experienced a 16.8% average drop in attendance between 2002 and 2015. The National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming has invested heavily in new immersive exhibits and programs to attract new visitors but needed a way to inspire audiences to attend. New Thought created a campaign that leveraged original artwork and high impact out-of-home media to upend expectations of what an art museum is all about.
01
More than Art: It’s an Experience
What if the art at an art museum was only part of a greater museum-going experience? This is the sentiment New Thought captured in its media strategy “More Than Art.” The bold premise earned national media attention by positioning the art museum’s most essential offering, its art, as only part of a larger value. Carefully crafted calls-to-action were paired with experiential photography to showcase each museum experience.
02
A Unique Editorial Perspective
Focusing on content rather than advertising, New Thought engineered a content marketing strategy that included the design of a museum catalogue, the production of experiential photography, and the development of rich media display ads that ran in national direct fly markets.
03
Art Becomes the Advertisement
Jackson Hole welcomes 2.6 million visitors each year. In order to reach each of these visitors, New Thought partnered with local artist Haley Badenhop to create a large interactive mural on Jackson Hole’s Town Square. The painting depicts a moose composed of iconic National Museum of Wildlife Art trademarks. Positioned along Jackson’s busiest boardwalk, the moose is selfie height, encouraging visitors to pose for photographs. A carefully positioned QR code activates a notification on modern smart phones inviting users to receive special discounts to the museum.
