Bringing history to life, the Furia Rubel team worked hand-in-hand with the Bucks County Historical Society to build awareness of, excitement about, and attendance at the grand opening of a new wing of the Mercer Museum, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania.
The Mercer Museum in Bucks County, Pennsylvania stands as a living testament to pre-Industrial Revolution America. More than 120 years ago, Henry Mercer recognized that many of the hand tools and other equipment that so typified life in America before the Industrial Revolution were vanishing. He personally gathered more than 30,000 objects with the intent to preserve them for future generations to see and appreciate, later building a museum in which to house them.
Today, the Mercer Museum is one of Bucks County’s premier attractions, drawing 40,000-plus visitors annually to Doylestown, Pa. In 2011, the museum launched a $12.5 million expansion that would enable the museum to present more of its priceless collection to an even larger audience. The new, 13,000-square-foot wing would feature a new exhibit, A World of Things: The Mercer Museum A-Z, offering a fresh look at the Bucks County museum, its unique collections, and its history. The challenge with such a well-known entity was to build excitement and awareness around the opening of the expansion via museum public relations.
Mercer Museum Expansion Ribbon Cutting
40 +
Pieces of coverage
7 Million +
Media impressions
$170,000
Worth of media coverage
2,100%
Return on Investment
Leading up to the expansion premiere, Furia Rubel began working with the Bucks County Historical Society’s marketing department to develop a detailed communication plan. Elements of the plan included:
The results of the communications campaign were impressive. The grand opening event to unveil the Mercer Museum’s new addition attracted hundreds of visitors, many of whom participated in the ribbon cutting. The historical event was documented through widespread news coverage that appeared in print, on radio and television, and online.