Why open with a guy already *IN* a museum, with a verbose audio guide glommed onto his ear? Aren't you reaching for the people who have never envisioned themselves there in the first place? Whose first reaction is likely to be "that's not me?"

That said, though, I agree with Anna Broadway that it makes me re-think my own aversion to audio guides. If they're like the audio in this ad, well, I just might have to try it out next time. So the ad may fail at reaching the un-museumed, while succeeding with the lightly-museumed. Is that a bad thing?

Nice vid (though, admittedly, I've darkened the MOMA halls at least once). I don't know about getting new patrons through the door, but this actually made me a lot more intrigued by the audio guide -- if they have commentary like that, maybe I've been missing out!

The one shift I think could have made the story-telling more effective, though, would be to have started the story outside the museum, rather than working out from the exhibit. How does art illumine and inform what we experience outside the gallery? See, for instance, the wonderful address "The Value of Music," delivered by Karl Paulnick: http://www.mankatosymphony.com/inspirationspeech(new).php That's the sort of discussion that can make believers of art skeptics.

I agree this will energize certain segments of MOMA's audiences.

But if the museum and their agency's intent, as stated in this article, was to get the attention of modern art skeptics, then it was probably not successful.

Was this really the goal, though? Even if that was the stated intent, I like to think it was a savvy way for MOMA to further entrench themselves with their current supporters. The video works quite well in making those viewers the "in-group," making them feel smart and in-the-know for getting the artists' and MOMA's message the entire time. Current supporters are their bread and butter, perhaps that's who they were really after all the time.

No problem. I never understand why people feel the need to be 'biting' when correcting someone else's error. We all make mistakes.

Have a great day!

Anonymous (10:25),

Thanks for the correction. And thanks for calling it out without adding a biting remark. My ego needed that mercy today.

You ommitted the word 'art' just before (MOMA):

On today's PR Daily, there's a news item about a new Web video from New York's Museum of Modern (MOMA) that the museum hopes will draw the attention of modern art skeptics.

Should be:

On today's PR Daily, there's a news item about a new Web video from New York's Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) that the museum hopes will draw the attention of modern art skeptics.

I disagree...while I like art well enough, I really don't care for modern art. This video has actually made me rethink it.

I think the video is compelling. Well shot, well written.

Marketing's job is to segment an audience in to its myriad components and elicit appropriate responses from each. You can draw a continuum from MOMA members who would sleep at the museum if they could, all the way to people who can't spell MOMA and have no interest in modern art. I sense this video will talk to the audience segments who have perhaps visited MOMA once or twice and will now get re-engaged, or people who are planning to visit New York and decide to make MOMA one their stops. Advertising like this is not about getting us all to do something - just segments of us.

Time will tell if it works or not.

i like this vid. it captures the way each of us, i think, respond to art ---it's very personal.

Visually this piece starts off too slowly to capture my interest. However, the dialogue was really good. Of course, I'm a word person, so maybe that's why I appreciate it.