Are Cultural Institutions Approaching Influencer Marketing Wrongly?
To preface everything that follows, I will begin by saying that, as most - if not all of us - know, in today’s world Instagram has become our main destination for the search and consumption of exciting content at every time of the day and night. Consequently, it has also become one of the main communications channels for most companies, especially those working in the field of creative industries.
As a consequence of COVID19, tourism was put on hold and cultural institutions had to temporally close their doors to the public. Museums created “digital platforms”, established IGTV series and tried to find ways to survive the crisis brought forth by the pandemic. And as things got better, and we got permission to travel again, these same institutions have welcomed visitors back to discover their hidden treasures.
However, although tourism “re-started”, the number of tourists has drastically declined and is not expected to go back to its pre-pandemic level anytime soon. Consequently, cultural institutions have had to come up with a new action plan in order to increase affluence and contain the financial struggles they are already facing as a consequence of the pandemic. It’s not surprising then that even the most important cultural institutions of our time have decided to leverage social media and collaborations with influencers, like most brands do nowadays.
While the Uffizzi Gallery has been collaborating with a group of Tik-Tokers for a while now, in an effort to grow its following on the platform, municipalities and touristic agencies have started to collaborate with some of the most known Italian influencers. Among the initiatives that gained more visibility were that of “The Ferragnez” at the Vatican and the one of Estetista Cinica promoting the City of Florence.
The feelings of the digital audiences about these initiatives are mixed, with some agreeing that culture and arts should be made accessible to a wider audience and others arguing that this approach risks over-simplifying our cultural heritage without really educating people.
Like many of us, I’m aware of the capability of influencers to drive behaviours and consumption patterns, and thus understand that it makes economic sense for these institutions to adopt such strategies. However, I also think that culture (a term so rich in meaning its use is sometimes even too abstract) should not be “simplified” and that our heritage deserves to be appreciated and celebrated properly. Although I am aware that it sounds simpler than it is, I believe that the ultimate goal of these institutions should be that of educating new generations, and not that of attracting masses by depriving our heritage of its dignity and meaning.
That said, in my opinion social media can be a valid platform for knowledge-sharing and that cultural institutions can and should work with influencers. However, when choosing these influencers and personalities, they should ensure that they that are able to convey meaningful messages about Italian (or any other) heritage and that can valorize it. That said, I think “cultural influencers” are the ones better suited for the job, as they have the capabilities mentioned above and can help cultural institutions convey meaningful messages to a wider audience.
To better understand what is going on in the market and how “insiders” perceive the matter, I, Mattia Zancanari, decided to reach out to my friend Cristina Giopp (@thegirlinthegallery) to ask her some questions on the matter. Cristina has multiple degrees in Management and History of Arts and after work experiences at art galleries and museums, she now works as an art consultant and cultural influencer, collaborating with some of the most important institutions in the world.
