The British Museum has hired Westminster Strategy to provide
strategic political and media relations advice ahead of the launch next
autumn of its Great Court redevelopment.
The museum’s marketing and public affairs director, Carol Homden,
appointed Westminster Strategy (WS) after a four-way pitch with other
’leaders in the field’. The consultancy will begin work on the account
this month.
The agency will work with the five-strong press and PR team at the
Museum’s headquarters in London’s Bloomsbury, but will also provide more
long-term advice on media and political strategy.
WS’s point of contact will be the recently-appointed Homden, who is also
responsible for the 80-strong marketing, exhibitions and front-of-house
departments. Bringing in the museum’s first PR consultancy was a joint
initiative by Homden and the museum’s managing director, Suzanna
Taverne.
The team will be led by WS director Leighton Andrews, and will focus on
gaining publicity and support for the refurbished Great Court and on the
museum’s interactive educational initiatives.
Jane Cooper, associate director (public affairs) at the agency, said the
British Museum was ’a wonderful story not told often enough. In the past
the museum hasn’t been as accessible as others, but it should rank up
there alongside New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and Moscow’s
Hermitage’.
The museum launches an on-line interactive service in early 2000 and
Westminster Strategy will try to generate political and media support
for this new venture.
