This ain’t a PR Stunt. This is an opportunity.

In PR, being proactive is extremely important, but so is being prepared for the unexpected. Last week, amidst years of difficulties in shaping their public perception, the Guggenheim's accidental encounter with Beyoncé may lead to a marked shift.

An Unexpected Opportunity

On the evening of Wednesday, March 20, a projection appeared on the facade of the Guggenheim with text announcing Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter: “THIS AIN’T A COUNTRY ALBUM. THIS IS A ‘BEYONCÉ’ ALBUM.” The next day, the museum swiftly responded to the guerrilla marketing in a statement:

‍“The Guggenheim was not informed about and did not authorize this activation. However, we invite the public—including Beyoncé and her devoted fans—to visit the museum May 16–20 when we present projections by artist Jenny Holzer on the facade of our iconic building to celebrate the opening of her major exhibition.”

Articles began to populate in publications ranging from ARTnews to The New York Post detailing the museum’s (lack of) involvement in the stunt. Its response made the best of the situation - it capitalized on Beyoncé’s star power to raise awareness about one of its upcoming exhibitions. The Guggenheim successfully took advantage of their name already being in the press to draw in new visitors who may not have previously known about upcoming shows. To keep the buzz going, the next day, the Guggenheim Instagram quoted a line from “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the co-lead single of the album alongside a photo of horses. Instead of dwelling on the unauthorized projection, through strategic social media promotion and a redirection to the upcoming Holzer exhibit, the Guggenheim effectively engaged with new audiences, particularly younger social media users and Beyoncé fans.

A Turning Tide?

The Guggenheim has long had a reputation of being a stuffy and unwelcoming cultural institution, and over the past few years, museum staff and audiences have shown that they agree. In 2019, news began to spread across the art world about the terrible working conditions at the museum: low pay, long hours, and some employees even going so far as to say that they were “being treated like parasites.” In 2020, a letter signed by “The Curatorial Department” implored the museum’s director to take measures to diversify its staff, board, and exhibitions. Then, in 2023, the museum raised its admission price by 20% amidst an internal financial crisis and lowered post-COVID visitor levels.

The Guggenheim seems to have been listening to its critics. In 2021, the museum signed a contract with the Local 30 Union and a year and a half later, signed an additional contract with Local 2110. It has increased diversity in their exhibitions as well; one of the museum’s current exhibitions, “Going Dark: The Contemporary Figure at the Edge of Visibility,” prominently features Black and women artists and deals with “the desire to be seen and the desire to be hidden from sight.”

While this is only the beginning and the Guggenheim certainly has more work to do to fully repair its tarnished reputation, its response to Beyoncé’s guerrilla marketing has demonstrated progress. The Guggenheim’s website states that “unauthorized use of…images of the Guggenheim Museum building…is unlawful and will be pursued with appropriate legal action.” The museum is well within its rights to pursue legal recourse after Beyoncé’s unsanctioned use of its facade, but is choosing not to. Supporting diverse art forms and showing lightheartedness in the face of what it could have perceived as a damaging incident demonstrates that the Guggenheim is staying true to its new values, which is extremely important in both proactive and reactive communications.‍

Capitalizing on Opportunity

Maintaining a flexible PR plan is important for when unexpected opportunities arise. These moments can lead to a prolonged buzz surrounding your company, particularly in newer audiences. If you are looking to work with an agency with communications expertise for both your proactive and reactive PR needs, reach out to Emerson Street Media.