When the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) officially opens its doors in the summer of 2020, it will be a first-of-its-kind cultural institution that celebrates the tradition of the people behind Black music and the music’s significant impact on the soundtrack of American society. Located in the heart of Downtown Nashville, Tennessee, the museum will be the newest crown jewel to Nashville’s royal musical landscape. In support of its pending grand opening, NMAAM leadership has tapped into an all-star “band” of creative agencies to lead the marketing communications push and drive interest and excitement with future guests.
Now that the museum space at Fifth + Broadway has been secured, gallery and artifact layouts have been completed and construction is underway, NMAAM’s team of creative agencies, led by agency of record Authentique Agency, will deliver on the overall brand strategy, marketing execution, public relations, advertising, experiential marketing, and special events. The NMAAM agency team is a collection of award-winning marketing professionals from around the country who reflect the diversity and content of the museum as well as the homegrown pride and musical spirit of Nashville.
“As the first-ever museum solely dedicated to the preservation and advancement of Black Music, we were very intentional about being relevant and inclusive when building the marketing team for our grand opening,” said H. Beecher Hicks, III, NMAAM President and CEO.
“This museum tells the story of not only the musical contributions of Black people in America but also the personal stories behind those who paved the way in creating these genres and making them global phenomena. We’re excited and encouraged that we have a diverse team of marketing professionals leading this project and that the team reflects both the content in the museum and the local Nashville community.”
Lead agency Authentique based in Atlanta, Georgia, has been working with NMAAM since 2017 and was officially named lead Agency of Record in July 2019.
The Authentique Agency is a full-service marketing consulting firm focused on leveraging the power of identity. A certified minority and LGBT-owned firm, Authentique is intentional about creating brand campaigns that genuinely reflect multicultural and LGBTQ life, voices and viewpoints. The agency believes that to build affinity, a brand must observe the intersectionality of cultural identity, and account for how it influences a consumers’ decision-making. Learn more about Authentique at AuthentiqueAgency.com.
Additional supporting agencies include:
- Flowers Communications Group (FCG) is responsible for national and multicultural media relations in support of NMAAM. FCG is an award-winning, certified minority-and woman-owned integrated marketing communications firm based in Chicago, Illinois with nearly 30 years of experience creating connections with some of the world’s most iconic brands and diverse consumer audiences. For more information, visit ExploreFCG.com.
- MP&F Strategic Communications headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee is spearheading local and regional media relations along with community relations support for NMAAM throughout the greater Tennessee area. MP&F is an award-winning, full-service public relations firm that has been developing high-impact strategic communications for local, regional and national clients for more than 30 years. Learn more at MPF.com.
- Go West Creative Group headquartered in Nashville has signed on to lead experiential efforts associated with NMAAM’s public grand opening celebrations planned for summer 2020. Go West Creative Group is a marketing services company specializing in large scale events, business meetings, conferences, product launches, roadshows and tours, recognition events, marketing content production, branded media experiences, and installations. See more of their work at GoWestCreativeGroup.com.
- Dufour Collaborative from the Washington, D.C. metro area has been tapped to lead the execution of private signature events and the grand opening gala that will also take place in the summer of 2020. The Dufour Collaborative is one of the nation’s premier experience design firms, specializing in orchestrating large attendee events that move, delight, and unite people. Notably, the Dufour team led the launch of opening events for The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. in 2016. Check out more of their work at DufourCollaborative.com.
These five agencies along with internal NMAAM staff comprise the complete marketing team that will inform and connect with consumers and stakeholders to bring the vision of NMAAM’s leadership and the Board of Directors to life come opening day and beyond.
As the NMAAM grand opening quickly approaches next year, each creative agency is actively engaged in the planning process and supporting a number of existing museum programs. This work includes building partnerships with local and national businesses, music industry executives and music talent. All of these stakeholders will play important roles in celebrating the success of the museum and its place among cultural institutions across the world.
