The museum industry is stuck in the past. With the exception of a few who have adapted their marketing strategies with the growth of digital marketing and technology, a majority of museums today don’t do enough to stimulate public interest and attract new audiences. As a result, attendance rates around the globe are falling, and most museums struggle to break the stereotype that it’s a place solely for history geeks and tourists.

The Palace Museum, a national museum housed in the Forbidden City in Beijing, however, is an exception to this rule. Since revitalizing its brand image through introducing new lines of quirky and humorous Wenchuang “文创” products (peripheral products) and distributing them on its online store on Taobao, it has enjoyed major success. Not only has the Forbidden City become the hot topic in Chinese popular culture, but it was reported that its income from souvenir, books, licensing and digital product sales reached a whopping RMB$10 billion in 2015 alone.

By using the 4 facets of brand positioning, we can examine how the bold move succeeded in bringing new life to the 600-year old imperial palace. 

Truth: A Rich History

China is one of the culturally richest countries in the world. It boasts a vast geographic expanse and has more than 3,600 years of written history spanning over 5 dynasties and 10 kingdoms periods. Ancient Chinese arts and sciences form a huge part of the Chinese identity and is still continuing to impact the Chinese way of life today. The cultural value of preserving such history and making it available to the public is unspeakable. 

A look inside the Palace Museum inside the Forbidden City.

The Palace Museum alone houses more than a million of these rare and valuable historical artifacts, including ceramics, paintings, bronzeware, statues and more. As a unique type of institution serving for both the creative and the public service industries, it provides a physical forum for people to foster a deep understanding of Chinese history and cultural heritage. 

Vision: Inclusive and Accessible History

With the advent of digital technology (3,600 years of Chinese history is now condensed into a single Wikipedia page) and a plethora of leisure offerings to choose from (wining & dining, shopping, sports events and more), interest for museum visits is falling. The fact that many museums still heavily rely on traditional marketing channels, such as print and TV ads, to reach its audience doesn’t help.

Shan Ji Xiang, President of the Palace Museum, however, wanted to break this mold. He believed that although history is a serious subject matter, it doesn’t have to be marketed that way. With the decision to rejuvenate the Palace Museum brand’s image, he aimed to make history feel accessible and inclusive to the mass and especially for the younger generation of China.