Table 3.

SM intervention framework to overcome the problems faced by museums

ApproachDownstreamMidstreamUpstream
Target audienceInfrequent visitors and non-visitors;
Social minorities
Museum professionals (directors, managers, etc.), researchers and studentsCultural sector decision makers: politicians, regulators, etc.
Desired behaviorModify the lack of interest in museums (attitudinal);Abandonment of prejudices regarding marketing (attitudinal);Modify the low valuation of the arts, culture, and of museums (attitudinal);
• New attitudes and behaviors of the target audienceAdopting the habit of visiting museums (behavioral)Adoption of marketing strategies and tactics in a public-oriented museum management (behavioral)Abandoning resource cuts for the arts and culture (behavioral)
Main barrier(s)Lack of interest in museums;
Lack of money and time
Discrepancies between marketing and museologySelf-interest, power relations, political party (and ideological) biases
CompetitionParticipate in other cultural, educational, leisure and entertainment activitiesCommitment to the other functions of the museum (acquisition, conservation, research), more focused on the collection than on the publicAllocate resources to other areas of state intervention (and not to the arts and culture)
Product: the social propostionSubjective well-being (entertainment, socialization, learning);Increase of attendance rates;Public recognition/approval;
Personal satisfaction for promoting development and well-being;
Being (re)elected and/or (re)appointed to positions and functions
• The benefit (value) to the target audienceCollective well-being and health (better quality of life in society)Better museum overall reputation (awareness, interest, appreciation, perceived value)
Price: the costs of involvement
• The monetary and non-monetary costs of the desired behavior, to the target audience
Cost of admission and transportation;
Dedicate time, cognitive and emotional effort, to the museum;
Change of habit (“to visit”);
Impact on personal and social relationships
Costs of courses and consulting on marketing;
Cognitive effort (learning and changing the current practices of museum management)
Financial cost of cultural policies and pro-culture actions;
Political costs (e.g. articulation, negotiation) and public opinion (to please/displease voters)
Place: the accessibility
• Where the desired behavior occurs
Physical and digital museums (postdigital museums), mixing physical and virtual experiencesMuseum organizations;
Educational institutions;
Specialized consultancies
The political arena: Executive (e.g. ministries, secretariats), Legislative (parliaments) and Judiciary (courts) powers.
Regulatory agencies, councils, public banks
Promotion: the social communication
• In a hyper-connected world
Emphasis on the interactive digital media (websites, social networks, apps, etc.)Emphasis on sponsorships of courses, conferences and other events at/from museum’s associations (ICOM, NEMO, AAM, etc.)Lobbying;
Public relations (PR);
(Net)activism campaigns
Source: Developed by the author

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