RENWICK GALLERY
The Art of Burning Man
“THE MOST ‘INSTAGRAMABLE’ PLACE IN THE WORLD”
The Renwick Gallery successfully mastered one of the biggest challenges for many art galleries and museums: generating interest amongst new audiences and changing their behavior by making them come out to experience “Wonder”. This brought in a brand new audience to the Renwick Gallery. These people came to take pictures and to get pictures of themselves in front of the art installations. Visiting the Renwick Gallery became a widespread trend, and everyone jumped on board. This led to photography becoming a large part of the gallery culture.
When most museums discourage photography, the Renwick Gallery Encouraged it.
Strategy & Tactics
Tactic 1: Create separate social media platforms for the Renwick Gallery (@RenwickGallery).
Why it worked:
Easier to engage with the audience on separate social media accounts. Allows the Renwick Gallery to have increased exposure and promotion without being overshadowed by SAAM. This gives the Renwick Gallery the opportunity to brand itself in a way that is more conducive to the types of art that is displayed. The Renwick Gallery encourages photography and social media engagement to visitors, and it would most likely be assumed it’s under @RenwickGallery.
Tactic 2: Post visually appealing content daily and keep it consistent
Why it worked:
Having an updated and timely social media feed increases the Renwick Gallery’s amount of exposure and awareness for itself and the exhibitions. However, for an art gallery, this is a tactic that needs to be done very creatively and strategically. The overall content gives a narrative about the experience visitors have. The Renwick has the advantage of hosting installations that easily separate it from other art galleries in D.C. But there’s also a psychological pull to utilize. By posting elaborate photos of the museum’s latest exhibition, it pulls in an audience that is motivated by photography.
AND IT WORKED.
In the span of 5 months, after I launched their first social media platform on Instagram, the Renwick Gallery amassed over 9,000 followers. There was constant engagement, and even though previously The Renwick was generating buzz, this engagement soared!
View Written Work Here