Comments on: What’s in a name? http://www.lynneharrold.com/2009/06/15/whats-in-a-name/ A blog about marketing, analytics and strategy Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:32:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Lynne http://www.lynneharrold.com/2009/06/15/whats-in-a-name/#comment-1647 Lynne Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:05:14 +0000 http://www.lynneharrold.com/?p=250#comment-1647 Dennis, Thank you for explaining the reasons behind the re-branding effort. It is clear that you have an integrated strategy to reposition the deCordova based on customer intelligence. I hope you will let me know the results of your efforts. The deCordova is a very special institution that we are lucky to have in metro Boston. Sincerely, Lynne Dennis,

Thank you for explaining the reasons behind the re-branding effort. It is clear that you have an integrated strategy to reposition the deCordova based on customer intelligence. I hope you will let me know the results of your efforts. The deCordova is a very special institution that we are lucky to have in metro Boston.

Sincerely,

Lynne

]]> By: Dennis http://www.lynneharrold.com/2009/06/15/whats-in-a-name/#comment-1645 Dennis Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:46:55 +0000 http://www.lynneharrold.com/?p=250#comment-1645 Lynne, was interested to read this. The discrepancy you found on our new, in-progress site (you have a good eye for detail) is being fixed today. However, it is one of many. Like many NFPs we don't have the $ (and if we did, would be unlikely to spend it to implement a new identity across all our collateral) to roll out this change all at once. Rather, we're rolling it out as we reprint items or create new pieces. So our letterhead, for example, has both the old name and our old logo... until we use the rest of it and reprint. Such is life in the non profit world. I spent 15+ years as an art director/chief designer for museums-- the Metropolitan Museum in NYC and the Smithsonian-- before becoming a Director. So I appreciate where you are coming from on this topic, and agree fully that slapping a new name on an institution isn't meaningful. However, I think your second-to-last pp makes my argument for me. Data shows that DeCordova is best known for the sculpture park, and the vast majority of our visitation is seasonal. The Park, and sculpture, are our core "products" if you will, and we are orienting our identity around this strength. The rebranding is following a number of efforts in this regard--including establishing a sculpture park endowment, making many changes to what is in the park to orient it towards high-quality art (in the past year a number of works have departed, and several new works are being installed this summer), launching a sculpture park cell phone tour that includes content for kids/families, launching Free Friday Nights in the Park this July for families, and orienting many of our summer exhibitions aroudn Sculpture. The next two major summer shows (2010/2011) will be indoor/outdoor shows of major contemporary sculptors. Finally, we are working towards positioning and marketing around being the destination for those living in the western suburbs. So on that, we agree! Thanks for your thoughts on our efforts-- I'll be watching your blog in future. best, Dennis Kois Director deCordova Sculpture Park + Museum Lynne, was interested to read this.

The discrepancy you found on our new, in-progress site (you have a good eye for detail) is being fixed today. However, it is one of many. Like many NFPs we don’t have the $ (and if we did, would be unlikely to spend it to implement a new identity across all our collateral) to roll out this change all at once. Rather, we’re rolling it out as we reprint items or create new pieces. So our letterhead, for example, has both the old name and our old logo… until we use the rest of it and reprint. Such is life in the non profit world.

I spent 15+ years as an art director/chief designer for museums– the Metropolitan Museum in NYC and the Smithsonian– before becoming a Director. So I appreciate where you are coming from on this topic, and agree fully that slapping a new name on an institution isn’t meaningful. However, I think your second-to-last pp makes my argument for me.

Data shows that DeCordova is best known for the sculpture park, and the vast majority of our visitation is seasonal. The Park, and sculpture, are our core “products” if you will, and we are orienting our identity around this strength. The rebranding is following a number of efforts in this regard–including establishing a sculpture park endowment, making many changes to what is in the park to orient it towards high-quality art (in the past year a number of works have departed, and several new works are being installed this summer), launching a sculpture park cell phone tour that includes content for kids/families, launching Free Friday Nights in the Park this July for families, and orienting many of our summer exhibitions aroudn Sculpture. The next two major summer shows (2010/2011) will be indoor/outdoor shows of major contemporary sculptors.

Finally, we are working towards positioning and marketing around being the destination for those living in the western suburbs. So on that, we agree!

Thanks for your thoughts on our efforts– I’ll be watching your blog in future.

best,
Dennis Kois
Director
deCordova Sculpture Park + Museum

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