How the "What can you do with a spoon?'' campaign boosted attendance at Grand Rapids Children's Museum.

1. Situation:
The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum had seen attendance suffer and regional
attention decline as the number of families with small children has declined.
Solution:
A marketing and rebranding campaign shifting GRCM’s main branding focus
from “children” to “play,” specifically the value of play for children as well as
adults since unstructured play has been shown to improve creativity,
productivity and personal relationship and organizational skills. Efforts include:
• An engagement campaign teaching the value of play by asking questions like
“What can you do with a spoon’’ to stir the creative focus on free play
showing how even the simplest household items can be tools for play.
• Marketing GRCM events and initiatives including a symposium and gala
focused on play.
• Developing content for the web and news releases.
• Developing new video content, working with GRCM staff.
• Connecting GRCM with new partners, potential partners and supporters to
build audiences.
ROI:

2. January 2013 paid attendance at the museum was up 36 percent over the same
period in 2012 and social media engagement climbed. The museum staff
reported a new sense of energy and purpose. Our “What can you do with a
spoon” theme to support the play branding lead to the makings of a viral video
as well an alliance Organik brokered with the Spoonlickers yogurt chain. A media
relations campaign and marketing for a major symposium on play and related
fund-raising helped boost interest and attention, including free pickups of the
video on local TV stations, which aired a shorter version of the video as a Public
Service Announcement.