This document discusses a survey of museum Twitter mascots at small to mid-sized organizations. It finds that most mascots help engage visitors and promote their institutions in a fun, entertaining way. However, competing job obligations and limited staff time make maintaining the accounts challenging. The mascots find the most benefit in connecting with other museums and visitors. They also collaborate on various social media projects to build community.
#MCN2018 - A Bear, A Mammoth, And A Sheep Walk Into A Bar Slides
1. A Bear, A Mammoth, and A Sheep Walk Into A Bar
Museum Twitter Mascots in Small to Mid-Sized Organizations
MAX EVJEN (@CANTUS94), KELLI HUGGINS (@KELLIHUGGINS), SHELBY MERLINO (@MSUMUSEUMBEAR), SAMMY KAY SMITH (@TOMYTHESHEEP
@SAMMYKAY118)NOVEMBER 16, 2018
2. MCN 2018
Survey September – October 2018
02
• Through Google Form
• 12 questions, (6 quantitative, 6 qualitative)
• 22 responses
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
3. Size and Staff Size
MCN 201803
• Mostly Small and Mid-
Sized (3 ”Large”)
• Slight mismatch in thinking
about staff size and
museum size.
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
4. How Many, Type of Staff
MCN 201804
• Most Full Time Staff
• A couple not even staff in
the Museum
• @MSUMuseumBear as
Internship, student training
in Social Media for
Organizations.
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
5. MCN 2018
Purpose for creating account
and how it’s developed over time
05
•Engage with Visitors
•Fun/Entertainment
•Promotion
•Others:
• Mascot representation developed/changed
• Offshoot from a partnership between Museum and
University
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
6. What department manages the channel?
MCN 201806
• Social Media fits…where?
• Most significant number of
responses came from
Education
• Followed by PR, and Digital
Engagement/Web
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
7. MCN 2018
What challenges? How is it prioritized?
07
• Most common challenge:
• Competing Job Obligations/Time to do each day
“But it only takes 10-20 minutes each day.”
• Priority related to other job responsibilities:
• High: 6
• Moderate/Not Main: 8
• Low: 10
• Wish it was higher: 4
• None: 1
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
8. MCN 2018
Do methods differ from institutional
account?
08
•New/Different Voices
•Fun/Entertainment
•More personable
•Others:
• Promoting collections and education events
• Content calendars may not be useful
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
9. MCN 2018
What has been most beneficial?
09
•Connections/Conversations with other museums
•Connections with other visitors
• Offsite
• Poems
•Personalization/New Voice for Institution/Exhibition
•Promotion/Publicity
@cantus94 @kellihuggins @MSUMuseumBear @Tomythe Sheep,
@SammyKay118
10. Mark, Tomy, and William – The Origin
Stories
MCN 201810
• Max Evjen – @cantus94
• Kelli Huggins - @kellihuggins
• Shelby Merlino - @MSUMuseumBear
• Sammy Kay Smith - @TomytheSheep,
@SammyKay118