Artists brands and museums: understanding brand identity

Abstract

ABSTRACT Brand management has become a key element in museum differentiation and competitiveness. When a museum’s brand is associated with a particular artist, the artist is a brand in themselves, bestowing the museum added value and shaping its personality. In recent years there has been a growing trend in museum management towards strengthening their brands. The aim of this work is to determine the elements of transmission of brand identity in museums associated with an artist based on the model proposed by Aaker [1996. Construir Marcas Poderosas. Barcelona: Gestión 2000]. A qualitative methodology based on thematic analysis has been employed to draw the main conclusions from the in-depth interviews of the directors and heads of Communication and Marketing of the Picasso museums in Spain. The results reflect that the link between brand, artist and museum is not only transmitted through the product, symbolism and organisation but also through its connection with the territory and its digital sphere.