Page 47 - MA Dinner 2023

Now TV Gold Award

“Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now”
M+, West Kowloon Cultural District

M+ is one of the largest museums of contemporary visual culture in the world, and located at the heart of the West Kowloon
Cultural District, it is among Hong Kong’s most iconic cultural landmarks. Having opened in 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
and a citywide lockdown, M+ decided to allow FREE entry for the first year. This strategy enabled M+ to optimise footfall and
visitation by welcoming visitors from all walks of life and encouraging potential art lovers of all ages to appreciate art at no cost. By
the end of the first year, M+ successfully reached the milestone of 2,000,000 visitors with a highly visible brand presence.

M+ is a self-financed institution, and free entry is not a financially sustainable business model. From its second year onwards, M+
had to start charging an entry fee for its gallery floors. To execute this, M+ launched its first Special Exhibition with renowned
Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now as the first ticketed exhibition, set at a ticket price of HK$240 after referencing other
Kusama’s exhibitions globally, in the hopes of attracting more paid visitors.

It became clear that the main challenge was democratising art while remaining profitable: how can M+ simultaneously
balance a relatively high admission ticket price with its brand mission of creating art for everyone and conveying Yayoi Kusama’s own
inclusive mission of “creating art for the healing of all mankind”? If the high ticketing prices were not accessible to all, how can
we still convey this brand value of art transcending boundaries?

Ultimately, the marketing strategies had to work cohesively to bring about meaningful connections between M+, Kusama and the
community, harnessing effective sales and distribution channels and collaborating with like-minded partners. And with this, from
zero dots to zillions, we gradually saw art transform the city.

Comments from the Judges:
Leveraging the strong brand presence established during the inaugural year, the campaign has boldly transitioned M+ from
free entry to a paid model, strategically reshaping the perceptions of a diverse audience, including local, Mainland, and overseas
visitors, towards art, and ensuring the museum’s long-term sustainability.

Exceptional marketing strategies formed the core of this campaign’s success. The extensive multi-channel approach to forge
partnerships with a wide array of collaborators was brilliant. The campaign received extensive media coverage, including invaluable
in-kind media value. The strategy of inviting renowned artist Yayoi Kusama as the first ticketed exhibition was powerful and has set
the bar for M+ both locally and internationally. The campaign effectively harnessed the impact of Kusama’s art to promote M+ and
the concept of paid art and museum visits.
Despite the challenging circumstances brought about by COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign yielded remarkable results in terms
of visitations and brand awareness. Overall, this campaign exemplified M+’s capacity to pioneer innovative museum practices,
highlighting art’s ability to unite diverse audiences and enhance the brand image of both M+ and Hong Kong.

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HKMA / VIUTV & NOW TV AWARDS FOR MARKETING EXCELLENCE 2023

9/26/2023 3:36:07 PM
Dinner 2023 Ken.indd 45
Dinner 2023 Ken.indd 45 9/26/2023 3:36:07 PM