The 2012 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites recap -- "Make this holiday historic!" from The History List ()

7/30/2019 The 2012 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites recap -- "Make this holiday historic!" from The History List (www.TheHistoryList.com)

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Make this holiday historic!The 2012 holiday campaign forhistory organizations and historic sites


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Make this holiday historic! overview

Goal: Increase awareness and ultimately attendance at

historic sites and at programs from history organizations over

the holidays.

Time period covered: December 1, 2012 January 1, 2013

How it worked

Any organization can list their events.

Organizations added 2012 holidays as one of the tags when they

entered their event.

33 events were featured, one per day, on an interactive calendar.

Every calendar square linked to more information about that event and

to all of the events of all types on that day.


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Make this holiday historic! overview Each list their holiday events.More than 100 events listed.

33 featured on interactive holiday calendar.

Add 2013 Holidays tag when entering events for 2013

Deadline: October 1, 2013


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Web badges for participating organizations

A listing on the main listing page, showing in the holiday event icon

The interactive calendar of featured events with an example of the way an event

appears when the user places their mouse in the date square

Campaign elements


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OntheFacebookpageofanorganizationwhoseeventwasfeatured

(bottom)andontheapppage

(middle)andonourpage(top)

A listing on the main listing page, showing in the holiday event icon

The interactive calendar of featured events with an example of the way an event

appears when the user places their mouse in the date square

On social media


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The campaign

Launched in

late November


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The campaign

Events were

added untildates were

filled in.


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Because the goal was to raise awareness broadly, we chose a wide variety ofevents, all with a tie to history, including historic sites, museums, andorganizations:

From Maine to California

Organizations ranging in age from 20 years old to 200+ years old

Private and public, from small, local organizations to statewide or spanning several

states From expensive to free to pay-what-you-can

For kids and families, or just adults

From the momentous and world-changing to the delightful and trivial

Including the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War

Loud and boisterous to quiet and contemplative

Outdoors and indoors, from walks to lectures to concerts to celebrations Castles and forts, ranches, houses, and mansions

Well-known and centuries old, to just a few years old and just getting established

One-time-only to every day of the month


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The goal wasn't necessarily to pick the "best of" aparticular type of event or the best event in thecountry taking place that day, but to highlight a wide

variety in order to raise awareness of the many greathistoric sites, museums, and organizations across thecountry and draw new attendees, fans, volunteers,members, and donors.

And while every event had a clear tie to history, some,

notably the Boston Tea Party and Washington'sCrossing reenactments, didn't have a holiday themeper se, but took place during December.


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Featured events

December 1: Indiana Author Fair (Indianapolis)

December 2: Reporting the Revolutionary War author lecture (Boston)

December 3: Hayes Train Special Display (Fremont, OH)

December 4: Fantasyland with Santa (Roanoke, WV)

December 5: A Victorian Christmas (St. Paul)

December 6: Historic Libations annual party (San Francisco)

December 7: Holiday Whiskey Tasting (York, ME)

December 8: A Civil War Christmas (Frankfort, KY)

December 9: Russian Holiday Dinner (Eagle, WI)

December 10: Christmas Eve at the Byers-Evans House (Denver)

December 11: Brucemore Holiday Mansion Tours (Cedar Rapids, IA) December 12: Holiday Decorations at the Pawnee Bill Ranch (Pawnee, OK)

December 13: Wisconsin Historical Museum Society Annual Sale (Madison)

December 14: Christmas by Candlelight (Sturbridge, MA)

December 15: Christmas Candlelight Grand Masquerade (New Bern, NC)


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Featured events

December 16: Boston Tea Party reenactment (Boston)

December 17: Guided Holiday House Tours (Portsmouth, NH)

December 18: The Sound of Christmas concert (San Antonio)

December 19: Riverfront Holiday House (Fort Myers)

December 20: Christmas by Candlelight (Old Salem, NC)

December 21:At Christmas be mery (Historic Jamestowne, VA)

December 22: The Castle by Candlelight (Youngstown, NY)

December 23: Christmas at the Newport Mansions (Newport, RI)

December 24: Holiday Lights at Clifton Mill (Clifton, OH)

December 25:Washingtons Christmas Crossing reenactment (Washington Crossing, PA)

December 26: A Toy Shop Window (Freeport, NJ)

December 27: Holiday Lantern Tour Newport (Newport, RI)

December 28:Its a Wonderful Life screening with an introduction (New York)

December 29: Commemoration of USS Constitution vs. HMS Java (Boston)

December 30: Holidays at the Heard (Phoenix)

December 31: First Night at Otis House (Boston)

December 31 / January 1:Freedoms Eve (Washington)

January 1: 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation (Boston)


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The History List is quickly becoming a pioneer on the

web for historical institutions.

Everythingwe are looking to share with the public is at our

finger tips, easy to use, and well thought out.

Jodie McMenamin

Development Officer

USS Constitution Museum


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Overarching goal

Create broader, deeperunderstanding of history,

by increasing awareness ofhistoric sites and organizations,

events, and exhibits.


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We know . . .

Coming face to face with

history is compelling,eye-opening, moving,

rewarding, fascinating.


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We believe . . .

More people would

attend events if theyknew about them.


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The Massachusetts Historical Society offers most more than

100 public programs and events each year. What makes The

History List different is its targeted approach.

It is an easy-to-use online resource that connects history

enthusiasts to history-related events and programs.

Carol Knauff

Assistant Director of Development for CommunicationsMassachusetts Historical Society


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Our observation

Existing means for

reaching beyond anorganizations base arent

enough.


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This announcement of an event in Boston went to 142 recipients How many of these e-mail addresses are still active?How many of the recipients forwarded it on to their organizationsmembers?

E-mail to other organizations

142 e-mail recipients for a notice of an event in Boston tied to the Civil War.


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Traditional media outlets are reducing listings.


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Expensive, difficult to stand out in city travel media.


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Are there really

1,796 history

events in the

area? How do I

sort throughthem?

Ad for shoes

and handbags?

Tickets to

events thathave nothing to

do with my

search?Listings for local McDonalds

restaurants in a search for

history?

Existing sites dont work well for many of our events.

An ad for a

national chain


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Each year Historic New England presents hundreds of publicevents and programs at dozens of sites in five states.

Unlike other event-listing websites, by focusing exclusively on

history, The History List connects our events to

a highly targeted audience and helps that

audience understand the full range of our offerings.

Rob Watson

Marketing ManagerHistoric New England


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Building The History List

4Q2011Meetings and development of prototype

1Q2012Closed trialALHFAM New England Regional Meeting

(Bristol, RI)

2Q2012Opened to allOAH/NCPH National Conference (Milwaukee)

3Q2012Frankfort, Kentucky

AASLH National Conference (Salt Lake City)New England Museum Assoc. Conf. (VT)NPS meeting(Boston)

4Q2012Make this holiday historic! campaign

Des Moines, Iowa


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Social sharing, add-to-

calendar, and an

embeddable widget are

automatically includedEvent page

Extensive information about

the event, including nearlyunlimited text and pictures

Questions, comments, and

recommendations from

users

Map included automatically

Tags, from the organizer or

others, help people find this

event

Names and dates for event

entry and edits

Links to organization page

and sources for more

information

Hours, fees, wheelchair

access, and suitability for

small children are easy to

scan


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An embeddable widget is

automatically included

Organization page

Extensive information about

the organization, including

nearly unlimited text and

pictures

Questions, comments, and

recommendations from

users

Map included automatically

Names and dates for all

entry and edits

Organization phone number,

website, and e-mail address

For organizations, museums,and sites that are open for

tours and visits, hours, fees,

wheelchair access, and

suitability for small children

are included and easy to scan

Links to events that are

coming up as well as past

events are included

automatically


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Promoting your organization and events onThe History List


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Managing events on your own site:

Full descriptions with several events per page


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Managing events on your own site:

Scrolling list with key information and links to

the full description on The History List


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Making automatically-updated calendars available topartner sites and supporters


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On partner sites, linking to their page on The History ListIn partner newsletter or other publication


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The History List scope

Events and exhibits, sites andorganizations

Historical societies

Preservation societiesHistorical commissionsHistoric sitesReenactor groupsTour providers

Professional history-related associationsGenealogical organizationsHistory and living history museumsMeetings of history and historic preservation practioners. . . and others


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The History List

o Participating organizations include . . .The Massachusetts Historical Society

Historic New EnglandThe Freedom Trail Foundation

Brucemore

Tryone Palace

The USS Constitution Museum

Heritage Square

Old Sturbridge Village


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The History List

o Getting startedLog in with Facebook or request an account

o Enter your informationAny staff member, intern, or volunteer can enter or edit

Enter your events and activities, including text and pictures

Complete the information about your organization, site, ormuseum

Add the Member logo to your site and newsletter


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The History List Continuing Development

1H2013Functionality

Seasonal hours and holiday hours

Distance to travel

Social toolsOutreach

State organizations

National associations

Civil War organizations

Consumer-facing media (traditional and social)

Newsletter for consumers


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There are plenty of calendar services available online, but only

The History List caters specifically to the history community.

Their event-listing services are intuitive and easy, their creators

are smart and friendly, and our ability to communicate with

like-minded individuals and institutions about our events and

programming has never been easier because of them.

Id tell any history-related organization, if you arent

using The History List, youre overlooking an

extremely useful and effective tool.Matt Wilding

Media and Content Manager

Freedom Trail Foundation


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Lee Wright

[email protected]

Twitter: TheHistoryList

Documents

The 2012 holiday campaign for history organizations and historic sites recap -- "Make this holiday historic!" from The History List ()