Visual Arts Marketing: The Brand Equity Challenge Facing Galleries

Abstract

This article addresses the challenges facing art galleries in the Sydney metropolitan area with regards to maximising their brand equity.  It takes a case study approach, and investigates art galleries' sources of brand equity and the implications for their marketing communications strategies.  The research has shown that art galleries have a good understanding of their brand equity entities, however, have to learn to coordinate them successfully.  Further, the different types of galleries examined employ and believe in a different mix of marketing communications efforts reflecting their objectives and resources.  However, their strategies are not always customer orientated, and lack supporting research.  This article is part of a larger research project investigating brand equity in the arts in Australia.