Entries include press, marketing, and donor development pieces. Could include email newsletters, viral marketing campaigns, fundraising videos, etc.
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Jury Chair: Jeffrey Inscho
Director of Media and Public Relations, Mattress Factory
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GOLD: Raising Spirits
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and The Arts Lounge
Judges said: Scoring very high marks for image quality, design and overall appeal, Raising Spirits is a comprehensive public relations package designed to promote a traveling, multimedia art history presentation showcasing the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco’s permanent collection. The package juxtaposes earthy and textured print materials with professionally produced digital content to create a balanced and complete project. The judges felt the initiative achieved its intended goals, as most of us wanted to schedule a Raising Spirits event after reviewing the submission!
Producers said: The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco is situated at the center of a technological and gastronomic Mecca that sports a global, edgy, and intelligent citizenry. To engage this distinctive Nor-Cal mind-set at a patron-level, we developed Raising Spirits—a traveling, multimedia art history presentation showcasing the museum’s permanent collection exploring the connections between art, wine and food.
Raising Spirits takes our world-renowned collection “on the road” via a plasma screen into private dining rooms of our patrons, while host Kirsten Shilakes—a museum—trained docent—tells tightly woven stories about art, food and wine, taking guests on a multi-sensory aesthetic and culinary journey. The result is a fully-conceived food and wine experience for our patrons that places the Asian Art Museum collection – in its digital form – as the centerpiece.
Raising Spirits creates an entirely new genre that builds relationships—the underpinning of museum development. It builds a friendly space in which guests can talk, taste, learn, look and laugh, all in their own home and on their own clock. Beyond donor cultivation events, it has supported new exhibitions, private fundraisers and ticketed events. In addition, its narratives have been showcased in Wine and Philosophy (Blackwell Publishing, 2007).
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SILVER: Chocolate Exhibition Public Service Announcement
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Judges said: The Chocolate Exhibition Public Service Announcement from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences tastefully mixes humor, history, detailed production and necessary organizational content into a fifteen second video formatted for broadcast television. During review, the jury watched the video no less than 10 times. Each view was accompanied by laughs, smiles and and genuine enjoyment. High marks for image & audio, design, appropriate use of technology and overall appeal garnered this entry the Silver award.
Producers said: Because of the good relationships that the Museum has with local stations and with statewide public television, this 15-second promotional spot was one of our most cost-effective means for reaching families and a general audience for a special exhibit—the Field Museum’s traveling exhibit, “Chocolate.” A lean fiscal year prohibited a large investment in print media, traditionally our strongest promotional tool. Running this spot as a public service announcement, supplemented with small buys from our media partners, gave the Museum favorable exposure. The exhibit was well attended, especially considering the budget we had to work with (a familiar story everywhere right now). Our counterparts at the Field Museum were also happy with the spot, and it has been a hit with a niche audience: our Twitter followers.
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BRONZE: Art Institute of Chicago Orientation Videos
Art Institute of Chicago and Angle Park, Inc.
Judges said: This package of three orientation videos from the Art Institute of Chicago combines intricate cinematography and video production with with comprehensive organizational content. The judges were very impressed with the quality of the image and audio.
Producers said: In recognition and celebration of the 2009 expansion and opening of the Modern Wing, the Art Institute of Chicago created a suite of orientation videos to inform and prepare the general public and special audiences for a productive, interactive, and engaging visit to the museum.
“Welcome to the Art Institute of Chicago” provides an introduction to the institution’s history, mission, collections, programs, and architecture both old and new. “Community Programs” shows how the museum reaches into communities and maintains partnerships with local cultural, civic, and educational institutions. “The Modern Wing and Green Design” documents the museum’s eco-friendly design features, specifically in the recently completed Modern Wing by renowned architect Renzo Piano.
Collectively, these videos introduce and promote the Museum’s collection, history, and dedication to serve diverse audiences in and outside of the museum. Dynamically accessible in the museum and online with both English and Spanish subtitles, these videos were produced collaboratively by the Art Institute of Chicago with film company Angle Park, Inc.
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HONORABLE MENTION: BugFest 09 Public Service Announcement
NC Museum of Natural Sciences
Judges said: Much like the Chocolate Exhibition entry from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, BugFest 09 Public Service Announcement tastefully and professionally packages relevant content into a fifteen second spot formatted for broadcast television. The judges were impressed by the quality of image and audio, as well as the innovative methods used to produce the PSA.
Producers said: Because of the good relationships that the Museum has with local stations and with statewide public television, this 15-second promotional spot was one of our most cost-effective means for reaching families and a general audience for our annual Bugfest event. A tight fiscal budget prohibited a large investment in newspaper advertising, traditionally our strongest promotional tool. Running this spot as a public service announcement, supplemented with small buys from our media partners, gave the Museum favorable exposure. In addition, my Museum colleagues did a terrific job at generating news coverage preceding the event. Bugfest was well-attended—over 20,000 visitors on a September Saturday in downtown Raleigh.
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Jurors:
Greg Langel, Media and Marketing Manager, Frick Art & Historical Center
Eric Sloss, Director, Public Relations, Carnegie Mellon University, College of Fine Arts
Carolyn Campbell, Web Designer, National Gallery of Art, Washington
Lisa Dundon, Manager of Multimedia Communications, Senator John Heinz History Center
