The call for papers for ICOM MPR 2018 is now closed. Please visit our conference information page for details regarding registration, schedule and conference hotels.

Conference theme: Communicating with Heart: Putting People at the Center

In 2018, we will be looking at how marketing and public relations practice is shifting on many fronts. One of the most consistent trends is a move to put the individual person at the center – whether it is in how we describe and reach out to our prospective visitors or how we make our museums more inclusive, or in driving sales and developing content. We are excited to discuss these themes with you.

In person: people, not targets

Think of all of the women you know between the ages of 25 to 54 with children. Or of everyone you know aged 55 and over. How similar or different are they? Does that “target audience description” tell you enough? As the media world continues to fragment, it is important that we as modern communications professionals start focusing on our audience as people – individuals – instead of broader, impersonal “target markets.” People-based communications is emerging and changing the way we do our work.

Diversity: Museums for All

Museum audiences are changing. The pool of traditional high-propensity visitors is shrinking as the world becomes more diverse. And at the same time, the competitive field for leisure time activities is expanding tremendously. More museums are constantly being built, major brands are now investing in building experiences and our audience has less leisure time than ever before. What can we as museum professionals do to make our museums more inclusive and accessible to all? How do we expand our audience while creating real spaces for dialogue and participation? And how do we make our communications more participatory and conversational?

Driving Sales: No Margin, No Mission

As public funding decreases for museums, it is becoming more and more important for museums to generate income to fund their operations and growth. Many museums find that the only way to grow is through increased revenue. We will explore and discuss the role of marketing and public relations in generating income through ticket sales, fundraising, crowdfunding and sponsorship. In addition, we will have a lively panel discussion about the topic.

The heart of the matter: relevant content

Communications professionals everywhere are constantly looking at ways to improve their content. In today’s digital world, storytelling is more important than ever, though sadly, we are not all gifted at telling our most compelling stories. What content moves people? How do we move from transactional communications to stories that inspire and engage? And what is the role of traditional media in PR? How does content move from one direction to two-way dialogue?