Challenge
San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum sought the expertise of LCI to re-position the museum’s new location in the Beuax-Arts former main library as a standalone “must-see” destination, to generate widespread media coverage and to drive traffic to the new Museum. LCI also had to overcome the museum’s perception in the community as an adjunct to the de Young Museum.

Strategy
To highlight the role of the new museum, LCI focused on:

• The cultural heritage and diversity of one of the world’s greatest collections of Asian art
• The transformation of an historic Beaux-Arts building by world-renowned architect Gae Aulenti (best-known for Paris’ Musee d’ Orsay)
• The unique programming and amenities the new facility offers

LCI also made a proactive effort to strategically target both national and regional media and appropriate ethnic media, representing the more than 40 cultures highlighted in the collection.

Tactics
LCI accomplished this goal through a combination of strategically-timed news announcements, editorial board meetings, a New York media tour, sneak peek tours of the museum, media events and tailored story angles, including architecture, design, art, travel, society and ethnic pitch hooks.

Results
The Asian Art Museum exceeded visitor projections throughout the contract, even more than an year after opening its new facility. LCI garnered significant positive media coverage in outlets including: TIME Magazine, national architecture/design magazines, such as Architectural Digest, Architectural Record, Metropolitan Home and Dwell; national art magazines, including: Art News, Asian Art Newspaper and Art Times; major national daily newspapers, including: The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Sun-Times, Boston Globe and more; leading travel publications and guides, including: Condé Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure and VIA; regional and national lifestyle magazines, including: Sunset Magazine, PaperCity, 7x7 Magazine, San Francisco Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily and more; in-flight magazines, including: Alaska Airlines Magazine, Hemispheres, Skywest, and more; national television such as “Antiques Roadshow;” extensive ethnic media coverage, including: India New Times, Hokubei Manichi, Nichi Bei Times, Korea Time, KTSF-TV, Sing Tao Daily, World Journal and more; and significant coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, resulting in nearly 50 placements during the museum’s opening month.