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Mass Media Article

The Fine Line Between Creating Curiosity and Creating Controversy

November 30, 2015 | Exhibitions
You’ve probably heard the adage, “There is no such thing as bad publicity.” A study published in Marketing Science concluded, “Although negative publicity is not always a good thing, in some cases, negative can actually be positive” (Berger, Sorensen, & Rasmussen, 2010). As a science center, you want to pique interest and perhaps push your marketing comfort zone in order to create a buzz, but there are always risks when you push the envelope. From May to September 2013, Science World British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, presented an exhibition entitled The Science of Sexuality. The marketing campaign included radio and print ads, as well as a TV ad and some bus stop shelter posters. The marketing efforts were designed to be intriguing and even a little edgy, but not offensive or controversial. The run of the exhibition went pretty smoothly, with mainly positive feedback, but in the last month, unexpected attention placed the exhibition in a whole new light.

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  • Jason Bosher
    Author
    Science World British Columbia
  • Citation

    ISSN : 1528-820X
    Publication Name: ASTC Dimensions
    Volume: 17
    Number: 6
    Page Number: 40-43
    Resource Type: Reference Materials
    Discipline: Health and medicine
    Audience: General Public | Museum/ISE Professionals
    Environment Type: Exhibitions | Museum and Science Center Exhibits

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