Picasso In the Digital Age
With the help of QR codes, augmented reality and marketing in Starbucks stores, even Picasso is making the leap into the digital age.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) unveiled its highly anticipated show, “Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris” on February 19th. Art shows of prolific artists like Picasso seem to draw a decent crowd on their own – so why use technology to promote the show?
Accessibility. VMFA was the only east coast venue selected for the exhibition’s seven-city international tour. By leveraging QR codes and virtual galleries, VMFA is able to share this exhibit with thousands that otherwise might not have been able to see the exhibit.
To pull off this feat VMFA teamed with Martin Agency, a Richmond-based advertising agency that helped them create virtual “galleries” in Washington D.C., New York and Philadelphia. To create these virtual galleries Martin tapped Layar, an augmented reality app developer.
How does it work? Simple. If you’re in the vicinity of these select locations, your phone will detect it, and the app will allow you to view one of Picasso’s works hung virtually in your surroundings. In addition to the augmented reality app, they also provided QR codes to 33 Starbucks locations, enabling coffee seekers to scan the code and view Picasso’s works while waiting for their coffee order.
We here at T2 + Back Alley are pretty excited about this clever and innovative promotion of the Picasso exhibition. For us, art is something that can transcend time and societal limitations and inspire.
In our book, smart digital marketing is proving to help make so many aspects of life – including art and music – more accessible to consumers.
