Launching an Immersive Art Experience Through Audience Strategy and Integrated Marketing

When Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and mental health advocate Jewel partnered with Crystal Bridges to create The Portal: An Art Experience, the museum was introducing something entirely new, combining art, music, technology, and wellness into a meditative, immersive journey.

 

My role was to lead the audience strategy and drive ticket sales for an experience unlike anything the museum had launched before. I led the development of a multi-channel plan built around distinct personas, including wellness seekers, music fans, and experiential culture audiences who were not typical museum-goers.

 

Using these insights, we positioned The Portal as an immersive wellness journey rather than a traditional exhibition and activated the campaign across creative, content, digital media, and advertising. Messaging focused on emotion, curiosity, and participation instead of promotion.

 

The campaign generated national attention with coverage in Elle, People, and Artnet, along with strong social engagement and web traffic. Opening weekend sold out and demand exceeded expectations.

 

To extend the impact, we created companion experiences including a fundraising gala, a curated dinner program, and a public Wellness Festival across Crystal Bridges and the Momentary campuses, transforming The Portal into a multi-day destination event.

 

The Portal demonstrated how persona-driven strategy and integrated marketing could attract new audiences and deliver both cultural impact and ticketed revenue.