Let’s be honest. If you work as a creative professional, you probably like the idea of visiting art galleries and museums regularly. It’s just that… well, life gets in the way. And few of us visit these places as often as we would like.
When it comes to the general population, the situation is even worse. Many people rarely if ever go to museums, often because they feel that such places are not “for them”, which is a great shame because without being jingoistic, the UK actually has some of the most beautiful museums in the world. And especially in London, it’s full of cultural inspiration everywhere.
One of our favorites is the Victoria & Albert Museum, the world’s largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. Everything is beautifully curated and there are always fantastic temporary exhibitions. Honestly, it’s worth a visit just to admire the architecture.
But not everyone figured this out on their own. So adam&eveDDB has recently launched an innovative campaign highlighting exactly why the V&A is so great.
Passionate project
The campaign has been designed to appeal to niche passions and is based on the slogan “If you’re into it, it’s at the V&A”. In other words, whatever interests you – from punk to pottery, from stamps to streetwear – you’ll find exhibitions that reflect that passion at the V&A.
This concept is based on the recognition that while most people have heard of the V&A, fewer people feel familiar with what the museum has to offer; and this is especially true for the younger generations. So the idea is to highlight the relevance of the collection and increase visits to the V&A online and in person.
Mark Shanley, Creative Director at adam&eveDDB, explains the idea behind the campaign. “What do you like?” he asks. “Football? Fashion? Flappy Bird? Yes, they are all at the V&A. Jewelry. Yes. Star Wars? Lots of it. The oldest, most beautiful and historically significant carpet in the world. Yes, they have that too. And 2.8 million.” other things. Come to the V&A and see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.”
The campaign features highly targeted activations, including buried treasures for metal detectors and bespoke creations for cultural festivals. It is supported by a mass media push and influencer collaborations.
Interactive element
To deliver the campaign message in diverse and highly targeted ways, V&A and adam&eveDDB work with dozens of experienced designers to produce a wide range of unique objects.
Each property has been designed to appeal to specific interest groups, from the mainstream to the extremely niche segment. The objects all come together and enable a variety of playful encounters with the V&A.
Selected objects are placed in undisclosed locations across the UK to be discovered by relevant enthusiasts pursuing their passions, and feature QR codes that link directly to relevant objects in the V&A collection.
Niche item activations include a silverware stunt that saw a centuries-old silver jug engraved with a unique message buried at a popular metal detecting site in Oxfordshire; limited edition embroidered pocket squares to gift from a specialist tailor; and a handmade two-meter battle flag displayed by an armored participant for a combat re-enactment group.
There was also an online stunt within the popular video game Grand Theft Auto Online in which the campaign message was displayed on the clothing of TikTok influencer Shlottie’s avatar while she was broadcasting live on Twitch.
Other treats include:
- a bespoke knit created by skilled artisan Onyinye Achusiogu to be worn at The Stitch Festival (March 21-24).
- a London theater seat with a specially engraved plaque
- a 120 year old book that has been carefully rebound and remains on the shelves of a vintage bookstore
- a bespoke 3D animation that plays before a film in the cinema, paying homage to the classic style of production company pre-rolls and reminding cinema-goers: “If you’re interested in cinema, it’s at the V&A.”
These stunts are complemented by a strong social media presence, including bespoke Instagram films created in collaboration with niche influencers such as @Wainwrightbookbinding, @Me.Old.China and @hookednbusy, as well as TikTok films featuring Punks and Battle -Reenactment groups, all working to provide engaging content on various digital platforms and ensure widespread accessibility and participation.
The joy of doing
For Mark it was all a very special experience. “Making a living doing creative things is a gift,” he enthuses. “Creating them for the home of creativity is a unique privilege.”
“As a family of museums committed to the power of creativity, our mission is to promote design and creativity in all its forms for everyone,” added Sophie Rouse, head of integrated marketing and insights at the V&A. “Our new campaign gives people space to enjoy all the incredible things they love with us.
“We are not here to define what creativity is,” she says. “We are here to give people the space to define it for themselves and find joy in it. From creative hyper-niche activations to impactful posters, the campaign’s inclusivity and versatility allows us to tap into pop culture and trends in a very targeted way. Proof that the V&A really does have something for everyone.”
Media coverage
The campaign targets niche interests with programmatic display and press ads in specialist publications, reaching people where they live out their passions.
The highly targeted activity is supported by a mass media campaign across OOH, press, digital and social media, and features 70 objects representing popular passions such as football, music and fashion.
Each object featured in these campaign launches references real objects in the V&A collection, demonstrating that the museum covers all possible interests.
To ensure the V&A continues to serve every niche passion, the campaign also includes a nationwide recruitment campaign created with Hope & Glory PRto identify nine new “superfan advisors.”
Selected fans will join the V&A team to share their love and knowledge on their chosen topics: Taylor Swift, Toby Jugs, Emojis, Tufting, Gorpcore, LEGO, Pokemon, Crocs and Drag.
Media for the campaign was planned and purchased by PhDwhich includes dynamic OOH, DCO digital display, press and social media.
Contextual ads featuring 70 items from the Museum’s permanent collection will run across a range of media platforms, leveraging Omnicom Media Group’s dynamic creative and optimization capabilities Adylic to contextually match ads to their relevant environments such as football, music and fashion. Design agency Soup are responsible for paid social animation on museum screens and for the design and production of tunnel posters.