Kantar Millward Brown recently revealed the latest BrandZ report of the world’s top 100 brands. Surprise, surprise – technology and tech-related firms account for a whopping 92% of the overall ranking. Google, Apple, Amazon make up the podium – closely followed by Microsoft, Tencent and Facebook. But where are the museum and heritage super-brands? Put simply, you won’t find a museum or attraction listed as a super-brand. In any ranking. But let’s not forget that, in PR and marketing terms, these are brands just like the Coca-Cola, Lego and Uber of this world. Whether directly or indirectly, they are competing for the same people’s (limited) time, (even more limited) attention and/or wallet share. So, let’s be bold: it’s time museums and attractions, small or large, start acting like the big brands they are up against. Here are some of the things marketing teams operating in the museum and attractions world can learn from global super-brands: 1) Develop a positive brand experience The key to creating a positive brand experience is to build a story that will engage visitors from start to finish. Far beyond simply visiting a bricks-and-mortar attraction, customers’ experience of the brand starts online, when they are searching for information, buying tickets and looking up maps. It doesn’t end when they leave the premises either: as a marketeer, you want visitors to speak about the brand long after their visit is over, to encourage their friends to go, and to return. The trick? Consistent and simplified messaging. 2) Brand promise What do you actually do? Consider this carefully and make sure your audience is well aware of the answer. Above all – stick to that brand promise. Lego is a super-brand because it promises imaginative play, and totally delivers on that promise in everything it does. It’s no longer seen as ‘just a brand’. It’s a movement. This leads us on nicely to the next point… 3) Know what you’re famous for You need to be clear on the one (or maximum two) things you want to be famous for. Remember: you can’t be everything to everyone, however hard you try! Don’t loose sight of your core identity. 4) The three ‘E’s There are three things you should do if you’re acting like a big brand: Excite beyond a single event or temporary exhibition, enthuse to make sure visitors are making the most of the visit, and engage so that they leave happy J 5) Be agile Whether you’re doing regular mystery shoppers, leaving comment cards dotted around the museum, conducting yearly surveys or taking on board feedback from social media, Tripadvisor, emails and letters, make sure you’re being agile. Be ready and flexible enough to make tweaks, changes and improvements if customer feedback signals a need – but always stay true to your brand promise. Are you ready to start acting like a super-brand? Check out the amazing projects in our portfolio – including our award-winning work on the launch of The Postal Museum and Mail Rail, which recently won us a Mark of Excellence in the CIPR Excellence Awards 2018 (Arts, Culture or Sport Campaign category) and Marketing Campaign of the year at the 2018 Museum & Heritage Awards. Get in touch with the team at Richmond & Towers and find out how you can benefit from our expertise and experience.
Richmond & Towers (R&T) has secured briefs from whisky makers based in Norfolk and the foothills of the Himalayas, both of which are looking to leverage the agency’s best in class drinks trade and whisky PR credentials. The 100% employee-owned PR and social agency will provide UK and global communications… Read more
We have been awarded the PRCA Gold CMS Award for achieving CMS certification for 17 years of continued excellence. The Communications Management Standard (CMS) is awarded by the PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) to companies who demonstrate operational excellence. We are audited annually and scored on nine core areas… Read more
We can’t lie – it’s been a great start to 2023. And now we’re almost halfway through the year, we wanted to fill you in on what’s been keeping us busy. We’ve had plenty to celebrate over the last couple of months: amazing new clients, incredible award wins… a brand-spanking-new… Read more
I vividly remember walking out of the hall after my final exam at university, thinking – phew! I was so relieved I would never have to go through that stress again. Who knew that only a few years later, I’d choose to study for a vocational degree? With 2017 coming to a close, I am wrapping up my final assignment after a year working towards a Chartered Institute of Marketing-accredited degree in Professional Marketing. Here are a few things I learned along the journey: 1. You’re never too old to be a student Stepping back into a classroom after being ‘out of the game’ for a few years did feel like the first day at school all over again. Once I had lined up by brand new stationery and the lesson started though, I remembered why I had decided to start studying again: I enjoy learning! Ultimately, the desire to discover new things and to broaden your knowledge doesn’t stop when you leave school – it just needs nurturing. 2. A professional degree can be a big commitment – but it’s worth it Sure – a year-long vocational degree can seem like a big commitment. In my case, I was going to classes once a week after work, studying at home, revising for exams and writing assignments at the weekend. It was also a big investment for Richmond & Towers, which funded my degree. The good news is, the benefits far outweigh all the hardship. Not only was I developing skills for myself (and for the rest of my career), I was also adding value to the business by bolstering my PR and marketing arsenal. 3. Putting theory into practice consolidates learnings There is one huge advantage of continuous professional development: you can put the theory into practice immediately and consolidate the learnings. Because we all know theory is great, but that textbook case study never quite applies when you suddenly have a client on the other side of the line. And guess what? Those four by four matrices really do make sense once you’ve actually had to use them a few times! 4. Start a degree, make new friends This is crucial, because which other WhatsApp group would you message at two in the morning the day before assignment submission when you can’t figure out how to format your Word document? These are the friends you can truly count on when it comes to celebratory pizza and wine after exams. 5. There is always something new to learn In my view, being given the opportunity to do training – from seminars to diplomas – is key to career progression. The PR and marketing industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace. To stay competitive, there will always be something new to get to grips with – whether it’s digital media, strategic planning or even leadership skills.
Richmond & Towers (R&T) has secured briefs from whisky makers based in Norfolk and the foothills of the Himalayas, both of which are looking to leverage the agency’s best in class drinks trade and whisky PR credentials. The 100% employee-owned PR and social agency will provide UK and global communications… Read more
We have been awarded the PRCA Gold CMS Award for achieving CMS certification for 17 years of continued excellence. The Communications Management Standard (CMS) is awarded by the PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) to companies who demonstrate operational excellence. We are audited annually and scored on nine core areas… Read more
We can’t lie – it’s been a great start to 2023. And now we’re almost halfway through the year, we wanted to fill you in on what’s been keeping us busy. We’ve had plenty to celebrate over the last couple of months: amazing new clients, incredible award wins… a brand-spanking-new… Read more
It seems that for some people working in the built environment sector, trade shows are increasingly seen as a dying marketing tactic. When we spoke to exhibitors and visitors at Ecobuild earlier this month, many were quick to notice that the show was getting smaller, with footfall following suit. This inevitably raises questions around the value of industry events like these – in particular: do they belong in the pre-digital era? The Good Undeniably, trade shows are a great opportunity to raise brand awareness by networking, showcasing new products, and getting up-to-speed on the latest trends. For many brands that don’t have showrooms up and down the country, they are also a good way to get physical product in front of potential customers. With recent technological developments, data collection has become a key component of many trade shows, too. Using scanners purchased as part of exhibitor packages, brands can easily and quickly gather information about the people they talk to at their stands – potential leads that they can pursue after the show ends. From a media relations point of view, trade shows are invaluable. How often do all our media contacts gather under one roof? It’s a chance for us to meet up with everyone over coffee, maintain our relationships, and plan the year ahead. The Bad There’s no denying that trade shows are a huge drain on marketing budgets. Exhibiting (or sponsoring) is incredibly expensive and usually yields the highest cost per lead of any marketing tactic. These costs don’t stop at space rates and sky-high sponsorship fees. Building an eye-catching, attractive stand to get you noticed can set companies back tens of thousands of pounds – at least. And that’s even before factoring in the cost of sending your marketing and/or sales team to do the legwork. And The Ugly Online substitutes for trade shows are forcing organisers to scale down the size of their shows, or to merge with other industry partners. The most tech-savvy among us might ask, why would I wait for the next show to come around when I can launch my new product now via digital channels? Can’t I network from the comfort of my office chair using LinkedIn? In terms of revenue, one can of course argue that a good, face-to-face conversation is much more valuable than any number of leads generated through online channels – especially in the building industry, where many still swear by relatively old-school sales techniques. The point is, there’s something in it for everyone. However, as the industry evolves, trade shows are going to have to change with it and find a new position in the digital marketing mix. The future of trade shows Whilst there are obvious benefits and pitfalls, ultimately, the struggle many brands find with trade shows is that the ROI is just too difficult to measure. To weather the changing landscape, organisers are going to have to respond to digital disruption and rapidly fast-forward to the 21st century. In my opinion, it’s all about creating an experience that can’t be replicated online: product demonstrations using virtual reality glasses, interactive networking walls… The possibilities are endless! Will you continue to exhibit at trade shows? To get in touch and find out how our expert team of B2B specialists can support you, give us a call on 0207 388 7421 or email olivia@rtc.london.
Richmond & Towers (R&T) has secured briefs from whisky makers based in Norfolk and the foothills of the Himalayas, both of which are looking to leverage the agency’s best in class drinks trade and whisky PR credentials. The 100% employee-owned PR and social agency will provide UK and global communications… Read more
We have been awarded the PRCA Gold CMS Award for achieving CMS certification for 17 years of continued excellence. The Communications Management Standard (CMS) is awarded by the PRCA (Public Relations and Communications Association) to companies who demonstrate operational excellence. We are audited annually and scored on nine core areas… Read more
We can’t lie – it’s been a great start to 2023. And now we’re almost halfway through the year, we wanted to fill you in on what’s been keeping us busy. We’ve had plenty to celebrate over the last couple of months: amazing new clients, incredible award wins… a brand-spanking-new… Read more