In New York City, as in many other places, safeguards put in place in order to slow the spread of coronavirus include closures of major cultural attractions. Among them is the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).Its emailed communication goes beyond the usual announcement of closure to offer its target audience an opportunity to make their own suggestions for what they’d like the museum to offer online, while its bricks-and-mortar location remains off-limits to the public.
The email sent on March 16th says:
We are thinking of you in this strange moment, as routines pause and we adjust to living in a new way for the health of communities across the world. More than ever, art can offer inspiration, beauty, and solace. While the Museum is closed, we’ll be sharing a selection of content highlights each week. We’d love to hear what you would be interested in seeing, so please send suggestions to magazine@moma.org.
It goes on to tell email recipients that they can also simply connect by logging on to the MoMA’s various digital channels, including the digital publication Magazine; its YouTube channel; Coursera classes; the podcast The Way I See It; as well as insight from art experts on audio. Below that reminder in the email are four links, inviting the recipient to watch, read, and listen to selections of just that type of content.
What the MoMA is doing is reaching out to keep its relationship with past patrons warm even while circumstances preclude the in-person immersive experiences that people seek at museums. Thanks to the capability to connect online and an effective communication strategy, a brand can be avert being both out of sight and of mind. That applies to any sort of organizational function.