NYC Immersion Seminar: Branding in the Arts
B8568 sec. 1
Spring 2016 B
Friday, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Uris 303 and various locations
Professor Bernd Schmitt
bhs1@columbia.edu
Office: Uris 510
Office hours: by appointment only
TA: TBD
tbd@gsb.columbia.edu
METHOD OF EVALUATION
Attendance and Individual Participation
Group Presentations
Final Individual Paper
40%
30%
30%
*Attendance is mandatory on all four class dates: March 25, April 1, 15, and 29.
READINGS






Bernd Schmitt, Customer Experience Management. New York: Wiley, 2003.
Brian Millar, Arts Branding Sucks, Fast Co.Design, 2012.
Laurine van de Wiel and Saskia Brocx, Emotion and Inspiration at the Van Gogh Museum, ESOMAR Congress,
Istanbul, 2013.
Matt Hermann, Pima Air and Space Museum, Warc Prize for Social Strategy, 2014.
Melissa Dobson, New Audiences for Classical Music, Journal of New Music Research, Vol. 39, 2010.
Paul Marsden, The Future of Marketing is art, Warc Market Leader, 2015.
OPTIONAL READINGS



Joanne Scheff Bernstein, Standing Room Only: Marketing Insights for Engaging Performing Arts Audiences,
2014.
Bernd Schmitt, Experience Marketing: Concepts, Frameworks and Consumer Insights. Foundations and
Trends in Marketing. Vol. 5, No. 2 (2010) 55–112.
Glenn B. Voss et al. Aligning Innovation with Market Characteristics in the Nonprofit Professional Theater
Industry, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 43, 2006, pp. 296-302
B8568 sec. 1 – Schmitt
1
COURSE OVERVIEW
The Branding in the Arts immersion course will give students the opportunity to learn about how
companies in the arts industries (visual arts, theater, classical music, and culinary arts) are addressing new
challenges and opportunities while maintaining centuries-old traditions.
Major themes for site visits, speakers, discussion, group and individual assignments will focus on current
practices of branding in the arts and its future:





What are the biggest challenges for major cultural institutions and their brands?
How can an audience be captivated with the right experience?
What tools do arts organizations use now (and will use in the next few years) to build and maintain
relationships and loyalty with patrons and the public?
How can arts organizations embrace an omni-channel strategy to better communicate with their
constituents?
What major influences will change customer experiences in the arts in the next decade?
COURSE ORGANIZATION
This course is one of a series of New York City Immersion Seminars. The course, like all other Immersion
Courses, takes place over four Fridays.
All sessions (except the last) will be held at the Columbia campus from 10am to 11:30am and will be
followed by a site visit from 12:30pm to 3:00pm. The classes will include lectures from Prof. Schmitt and
other guest speakers.
Students will be divided into groups that will present on the challenges experienced by the arts
organization and its specific industry.
Readings will be provided on Canvas. Students are expected to research the companies prior to each visit.
Each group is expected to complete a fact sheet about the company which they will present and share with
the class on the Wednesday before the visit.
B8568 sec. 1 – Schmitt
2
CONNECTION TO THE CORE
The learning in this course will utilize, build on, and extend concepts covered in the following core
courses:
Core Course
Marketing
Connection with Core
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Innovation
Integrated marketing communications
Customer Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Branding
Market Penetration & Marketing Strategy
Students will be expected to have mastered these concepts and be able to apply them in the course.
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING
Requirements for the course are: attend class and participate in class discussions (40%), group
presentations (30%) and submit an individual final paper a week after class ends (30%).
Group Presentations – During the first class students will break into groups around the themes and
companies provided by the instructor. Each class visit will include a presentation by a student group on the
topic and company selected for the day. Student groups should prepare a one-sheet summary introduction
to the company to classmates by the Wednesday prior to the visit. Professor Schmitt will provide each group
with specific challenges identified by the organization for students to present on at the site visit.
Final Individual Paper – In the final individual project for the course students will analyze the challenges
studied during class and chose an organization from a list provided by Prof. Schmitt. Students should
analyze the challenges posed to the brand, for example, by the growing number of touch points and the
more complex online/offline world, and present an initiative the organization could implement to meet
these challenges and a basic launch strategy for the initiative. The paper should be between 4 to 6 pages
(1500-3000 words) you may include some figures and tables.
This course adheres to Columbia core culture. Students are expected to be:
Present:
 On time and present for every session
 Attendance tracked
Prepared:
 Complete pre-work needed, expect cold calling
 Bring nameplates and clickers
Participating:
B8568 sec. 1 – Schmitt
3
 Constructive participation expected and part of grade
 No electronic devices unless explicitly called for by the instructor
COURSE OUTLINE
Session
Date
Topic
Guest Speakers
Location
Session 1
March 25
The visual arts
experience
--
MoMA/Met
Session 2
April 1
Branding culture
--
Disney Theatrical
Productions
Classical music business
Lawrence Perelman,
Managing Director at
Semantix Creative Group
Metropolitan
Opera/Carnegie Hall
--
Culinary Concepts
Hospitality Group (Jean
Georges Vongerichten)
Session 3
Session 4
April 15
April 29
The future of the arts
May 6
Final paper due
READING SCHEDULE
Session 1: March 25 – The visual arts experience



Customer Experience Management, Chapters 1-2
Arts Branding Sucks
Emotion and Inspiration at the Van Gogh Museum
Session 2: April 1 – Branding Culture


Customer Experience Management, Chapters 3,4,5
Pima Air and Space Museum
Session 3: April 15 – The classical music business


Customer Experience Management, Chapters 6,7,8
New Audiences for Classical Music
Session 4: April 29 – The future of the arts


Customer Experience Management, Chapter 9
The Future of Marketing is Art
B8568 sec. 1 – Schmitt
4
B8568 sec. 1 – Schmitt
5