Philly Phundraising Phollies
December 2005 By Denny Hatch
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Plus … Best Wishes for a Joyous Holiday
Dec. 20, 2005: Vol. 1, Issue No. 57
IN THE NEWS
In the 1980s, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City came up with an ingenious scheme for acquiring new members.
Any time a big new exhibition was scheduled to open, the membership department would order up a slew of upscale lists--but only in upscale Manhattan ZIP codes. Among them, as I recall, were New York magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire and Vanity Fair. To these names would be added the names of members of other New York museums and cultural institutions with whom the Whitney had list exchange agreements.
These lists would then be run through a merge/purge process so that no duplicate mailings would be sent to the same household. In addition, current active members of the Whitney were eliminated while lapsed members were invited.
The offer was an invitation to attend an elegant, private viewing of the new exhibition to be held exclusively for new members. Included would be a reception to meet the curator and other museum officials. Docents were stationed in every gallery to answer questions. A bar dispensed wine and soft drinks as well as hors d'oeuvres. The cost was $50, which included free admission to the museum for two for a year, member's receptions for two major exhibitions, the monthly bulletin and discounts in the museum shop. It was a very good deal.
My job was to write and design the mailings.
The first invitation was for an exhibition of John Singer Sargent portraits and the evening was a barnburner. My client was thrilled with the turnout and return on investment.
Over the years, we found that the success of future mailings depended on the fame of the artists. John Singer Sargent was A++. Red Grooms did fine. The high profile "Biennial" was okay. Charles Sheeler and Donald Judd were marginal at best. But overall, the program was a success and I loved working for the Whitney.
Dec. 20, 2005: Vol. 1, Issue No. 57
IN THE NEWS
Letters | Academy of Natural Sciences not serving well
It's indeed a shame the museum is going under, but The Inquirer's article ["Dinosaur Museum Itself Is
Threatened"] stresses its importance only to the scientific community. The museum hasn't been stressing its importance to the general public for many, many years; that neglect shows, and that's why the public has turned away from it.
--Allene Murphey, Letter to the Editors, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Dec. 16, 2005
In the 1980s, the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City came up with an ingenious scheme for acquiring new members.
Any time a big new exhibition was scheduled to open, the membership department would order up a slew of upscale lists--but only in upscale Manhattan ZIP codes. Among them, as I recall, were New York magazine, The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire and Vanity Fair. To these names would be added the names of members of other New York museums and cultural institutions with whom the Whitney had list exchange agreements.
These lists would then be run through a merge/purge process so that no duplicate mailings would be sent to the same household. In addition, current active members of the Whitney were eliminated while lapsed members were invited.
The offer was an invitation to attend an elegant, private viewing of the new exhibition to be held exclusively for new members. Included would be a reception to meet the curator and other museum officials. Docents were stationed in every gallery to answer questions. A bar dispensed wine and soft drinks as well as hors d'oeuvres. The cost was $50, which included free admission to the museum for two for a year, member's receptions for two major exhibitions, the monthly bulletin and discounts in the museum shop. It was a very good deal.
My job was to write and design the mailings.
The first invitation was for an exhibition of John Singer Sargent portraits and the evening was a barnburner. My client was thrilled with the turnout and return on investment.
Over the years, we found that the success of future mailings depended on the fame of the artists. John Singer Sargent was A++. Red Grooms did fine. The high profile "Biennial" was okay. Charles Sheeler and Donald Judd were marginal at best. But overall, the program was a success and I loved working for the Whitney.
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