Yesterday the Strong National Museum of Play made a major rebranding announcement: the organization as a whole will now be referred to simply as The Strong. However, local media has inadvertently caused confusion by misreporting what's actually happening. The Strong is an umbrella term used to refer to all of the organization's various educational initiatives. The museum itself is NOT changing its name; it will continue to be known as the National Museum of Play, a name it took after a massive, multi-million-dollar expansion nearly five years ago.
The new branding strategy is meant to shine a spotlight on the various independent projects housed on the museum's grounds that were perhaps not reflected in the previous Strong National Museum of Play title. These newly branded "play partners" include the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library & Archives of Play, and the American Journal of Play. Those are in addition to the museum, which has dropped the Strong part of its name and is now known as the National Museum of Play.
All of these enterprises will now have their own identities, but be referred to collectively as The Strong. In fact, a new website - thestrong.org - has launched that gives each of the play partners increased but equal attention. It acts as a portal that takes users to individual websites devoted to each of the play partners.
The rebranding effort will have little impact on visitors to the museum or its various subsidiaries. The sign outside will now read "The Strong," and underneath it, "National Museum of Play." There are no plans to change hours or admission at this time. The only noticeable change will be the "eGameRevolution" exhibit which will open on the second floor in November, and will act as the public face of the Center for the History of Electronic Games. It will feature interactive videogame stations with arcade games from the popular "Videotopia" exhibit, as well as stations for modern console games for the Xbox 360 and other home videogame systems.
Comments for "MUSEUMS: Clarifying The Strong announcement" (8)
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Rachel Barnhart said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 2:29pm
Are you a reporter or a PR person for Strong? Nothing was "misreported" by the local media. Perhaps the way it was reported is a sign the rollout of the rebranding effort was less than successful. Isn't the first rule of Brand 101 that is should not be complicated?
Eric said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 2:56pm
Rachel: I'm a reporter, and I'll thank you to not suggest otherwise. And yes, there was misreporting on this topic. We watched the Tweets from other media roll in yesterday and they were completely misleading, saying that the museum was renamed The Strong. Not so. If the reporters had bothered to actually read the materials put out by Strong -- or, god forbid, actually ask the source directly for clarification -- there wouldn't have been the needless confusion. I don't disagree that the announcement wasn't entirely clear. But it's the job of the media to plainly disseminate a message. And that's what this article does.
Alex V said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 3:18pm
Its a poor idea to rebrand and it wasnt done real well either. If those "play partners" want to have separate identities, then they need their own brand. They cannot hide under the strong museum name and get anywhere.
Rachel Barnhart said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 3:30pm
Eric, you're article above reads like a news release. "The rebranding will have no little impact on visitors." How do you know that, exactly?
I read the website five times yesterday. I also read the press release telling us about the "rebranding." And we attended the event. Any screw-ups are Strong's fault.
Rachel Barnhart said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 4:37pm
And now...it's me needing to correct my "you're" to "your."
I wonder what advertising people think?
Overstrung and overStrong said on Sep. 29, 2010 at 8:36pm
It's encouraging to see media folks struggling with questions of ethics and journalistic integrity.
YOU'RE YOUR own harshest critics. Thanks!
Elaine Francesco said on Oct. 02, 2010 at 8:00pm
Locally, "Strong" means the hospital.
Can't help but wonder: Will taxi drivers know which Strong to take excited out of town grandparents to, to meet their grandchildren?
Unless the hospital is planning to rebrand itself as The Golisano?
Darla said on Oct. 04, 2010 at 1:06pm
I agree with Elaine!
When I worked at a preschool a child came in to be evaluated and his parents said "after this, we are going to Strong." I thought they meant Strong Hospital, which has The Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, an interdisciplinary division of the Department of Pediatrics. It provides clinical services focusing on complex developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders including Intellectual Disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida and Autism. It was not unusual for preschool children with disabilities or special needs to be referred to "Strong" for further testing & diagnosis.
Imagine my embarrassment when the family corrected me, "no, we are going to the Strong Museum."
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