Podcast: Branding Hong Kong’s M+ Museum

Podcast: Branding Hong Kong’s M+ Museum

By For Arts Sake

SUMMARY

Dive into the world of branding a major museum with Meggy Cheng, the former Head of Marketing and Branding at Hong Kong’s M+ Museum. One of a series of podcasts with museum people by For Arts Sake.

Explore how Meggy Cheng, the former Head of Marketing and Branding at Hong Kong’s M+ Museum, is blending her corporate experience with a passion for the arts to transform how contemporary arts are experienced locally and globally.

This discussion includes tips on innovative strategies that elevate art experience, navigating the opening of a major cultural institution amid a global pandemic, the importance of community engagement, and the future of arts marketing in the digital age.

Meggy is a passionate arts marketer who had almost 20 years of experience working in both commercial and arts sectors. Her early career was with global advertising agencies, later on she headed the marketing of two major performing arts organisations including the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra where she was also named a Clore fellow (cohort 15) in the UK.

After undertaking the Clore Leadership programme, Meggy expanded her career from performing art to visual art, she is now the Head of Branding and Marketing of M+, Hong Kong's new museum for contemporary art and visual culture. Since the interview, Meggy assumed the new role as Executive Director at the Hong Kong Dance Company.


Discussion Points

  • Introduction to Meggy Cheng and her role at M+ (0:03)
  • Overview of M+ (6:51)
  • Life at M+ (8:17)
  • Hong Kong as an art hub (11:03)
  • Opening during lockdown (16:16)
  • Behind the scenes: The Yayoi Kusama Exhibition (20:48)
  • Expanding M+'s global presence (27:14)
  • Engaging the local community (29:06)
  • Marketing strategies and future directions (34:51)
  • Meggy's dream museum (37:44)
  • Final thoughts and advice (38:49)


Full transcript of Branding Hong Kong's M+ Museum (Word)

Full transcript of Branding Hong Kong's M+ Museum (HTML)


About For Arts Sake

For Arts' Sake is a UK-based interview podcast with leading museum professionals across the world. Founded and produced by professionals in the museum and cultural sector, For Arts' Sake aims to help listeners discover what museums are for, what people who work there really do, and the difference museums can make in our lives through their projects and initiatives.

“There are many podcasts on artists and museum collections, but very few that focus on people behind museum jobs,” says founder Alina Boyko. “We also aim to keep it conversational and listener-friendly, to appeal to regular as well as specialised audiences.”

With six seasons and 33 episodes under its belt, For Arts' Sake has explored contemporary issues in the museum industry, featuring speakers from local and international institutions like the British Museum, Historic Royal Palaces, Arts Council England, V&A, National Trust, Smithsonian, and Odesa Fine Arts Museum. It also serves as a platform for diverse voices within the museum field, inviting both seasoned and emerging professionals to share their insights through guest blogging and season co-curation.

Season seven, which launched on February 23, 2024, marked a special collaboration with CUHK's cultural management faculty members, Benny Lim and Yongwoo Lee, who took on the role of co-curators. This season spotlights museum and heritage professionals from East and Southeast Asia. This season features conversations with Jervais Choo from the National Heritage Board, Singapore, Meggy Cheng from M+ Museum, Hong Kong, Leeji Hong from MMCA Seoul, South Korea, Dar-kuen Wu from C-Lab, Taiwan, and Josh Yiu from the CUHK Art Museum.


Interviewers, For Arts Sake

Alina Boyko, Co-founder and Co-host, For Arts Sake
Alina Boyko head and shoulders
Alina is the co-founder and co-host of the For Arts' Sake podcast. She also helped establish Art Night, now the UK's biennial contemporary art festival. Before this, Alina spent five years at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, working in the Russian and Impressionist & Modern Art departments.
She holds BA in History of Art and MA in Museums and Galleries in Education from UCL, along with an MLitt in History of Art from Christie’s Education, affiliated with Glasgow University.
She wants to help create positive change in society through culture.

Contact: alina@forartsake.co.uk

Sabila Duhita Drijono, Project development and Partnership Coordinator, Co-host, For Arts Sake
Sabila Duhita Drijono head and shoulders
Sabila is an independent researcher, writer, and creative producer. She completed her MA in Museums and Galleries in Education at UCL, supported by the LPDP scholarship from the Indonesian government. As a professional, she has been involved in various cultural projects across Indonesia, including with the historic art collection of the Presidential Palaces of Indonesia, Tenganan Pegringsingan Village in Bali, and the Department of Archaeology at the University of Indonesia.
A firm believer in culture as a catalyst for development, Sabila is passionate about blending academic and creative approaches in her work. She is committed to making museum knowledge accessible and building cross-border collaborations within the cultural sector. At For Arts’ Sake, Sabila takes on an active role in content development, promotion, and strategising partnerships with potential speakers and collaborators.
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Resource type: Podcasts | Published: 2024