democrARtisation
Museum of Contemporary Art Belgrade
Issue 46 | March 2018
Agency
McCann Belgrade
Creative Team
Creative Digital Creative Director Vladimir Cosic Art Director Zdravko Kevreshan Copywriter Sandra Stojanovic
Production Team
Production HUGE Media, Fried
Other Credits
Other Account Team Jelica Jaukovic, Miloš Stankovic PR Marija Vicic, Radiša Kricak
Date
March 2017
Background
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade had been closed to the public since 2007 due to reconstruction work that was still not completed. An entire generation had grown up deprived of the chance to see the museum's extensive local and international collections.
That created a wave of public discontent.
The challenge was to show Serbians the art even though the museum had to remain closed.
Idea
To bring the art back to the people, 20 of Serbia's biggest brands came together to help create a virtual art exhibition in which their press and outdoor ads were transformed into art through an augmented reality mobile app.
The app was like a virtual curator and could play audio descriptions of the 75 artists as well as show 1700 locations where art pieces could be found.
Results
The campaign resulted in 500,000 media impressions, exposure on five national TV stations and publication in 90 weekly titles. Today, millions of people in the world can now see the museum's art. Finally, in early 2018 the museum re-opened.
Our Thoughts
I have been to Serbia fairly frequently and know a little of the country's troubled history. Art is the expression of uninhibited ideas and will be much valued by a people currently reshaping their national identity.
So, officialdom keeping the museum closed would have been more vexing than it might have been in London or New York, say.
What a great initiative from McCann, an agency very much in the ascendance in the region.
The fact that this campaign will surely win international awards will also be of national pride, I hope.